The Train To Crazy

Birthday party favor FAIL and win

I asked on facebook and instagram yesterday what your suggestions were for good birthday party favors. You know, the good kind that doesn't include junk you don't want and your kids won't use.

I love the idea of favors that are inexpensive and yet useful and appreciated. So we decided to make some homemade Gak while we waited for our cupcakes to come out of the oven. 

We used this recipe and I'm not sure what we did wrong but it was a huge FAIL. It hardened so quickly the starch wouldn't mix in with the glue any longer and all I had was like stiff gum floating in blue water. 

So we made some play dough instead.

We put them in little plastic containers and added a label to the lid for fun. Voila. A favor that is useful and appreciated yet doesn't stick around long to clutter your house.

Guest Post: A fun flower craft for kids

I don't know about you, but I love flowers. Real or fake flowers. Either will do. Especially if they are from my kids! My oldest daughter loves making flowers out of tissue paper and I'm pretty sure this DIY coffee filter flower craft will be her new favorite way to make flowers. This would also be a great Mother's Day gift!

Welcome to Kate from A Creative Cookie! Thank you so much for stopping by to give us this quick, fun tutorial! Make sure you all stop by Kate's blog to say hello! She's a new blogger but she's been BUSY. Check out all her tutorials!

Hi there The Train to Crazy readers!!! I'm Kate and I write over at my blog, A Creative Cookie.

Since mother's day is coming up super-duper soon, these flowers would be a great quick and easy craft for little ones (I did mine with a three-year-old) to make for their moms or grandmas.
Let's get started...

Supplies:
Coffee filters
Pipe cleaners/chenille stems
Washable markers (must be washable for the tie-dye look)
Spray bottle full of water
Newspaper
Beads (optional)

Step 1: Color a design on your coffee filter. I found it works best if you add lots of ink to each part.
Step 2: Put it on top of newspaper, and spray it with water. The more you spray, the more the colors will mix.
Step 3: Lay outside to dry.
Step 4: Layer them (totally optional) and pierce the center with a pipe cleaner. Fold down the bit that is poking through so it won't slide off. (If you bead the stem, fold the end over the same way too.)
Fluff the flowers as much as you please!

Enjoy your flowers or give a bouquet to Grandma!

Thank you so much for having me! I would love it if you'd come on over and say hi or visit me on Facebook!

Easy Valentine craft tutorial

Need a handmade Valentine project for your kids? I'm sharing a fun, easy tutorial over at Fancy Little Things. 

Don't forget to buy your wool felt hearts at Heart & Felt and help my kids raise $5,100 to buy a home for an orphan family through World Vision! They are almost halfway to their fundraising goal and they need your help! A special thanks to Handmade Therapy for being our first Valentine heart buyer!

Remember the lunch bag?

Well, the little pocket the girls hide notes and artwork in to send Dad to work just isn't big enough...

Yes, those tissue flowers are complete with a vase. What a lovely lunch surprise.