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Kid Wash

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My husband and I made a “Kid Wash” for all the children in the family.  It’s after a car wash.  It cost $50 and only took 2 hours to build.  I have put the link for the original plan below and I’ll include our “tweaks” here.

My only complaint is that I couldn’t find PVC pipe that didn’t have markings all over it.  But nobody seems to notice that.  A lot of it gets covered with the decorations.

The pictures are of my grandchildren.  They got new raincoats that day and they came over to test both the Kid Wash and the new rain gear.  As you can see, both worked!

Here is the link to the original plan:

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/home-garden-projects/outdoor-projects/the-deluxe-kid-wash-709166/

Tweaks:

  • The overall size is about 8 feet long, 68-inches to the 2 top cross bars, and 33-inches wide.  The front bar is 62-inches and the noodle makes it higher.
  • Buy a PVC cutting tool!  Ours only cost $12 and was well worth it!
  • I bought a shower curtain on clearance and cut it into strips to make the flappy wipers thingies at the end.
  • Add 1 cap to the list of parts.  We put this on the end of the “gate”. It didn’t call for one in the instructions, but we found it finished it was needed.
  • We assembled it before drilling the holes and then drilled the holes in place.  Be careful NOT to drill all the way through!
  • We used 1/16-inch drill bit instead of the 1/8-inch called for in the instructions.  After researching other Kid Washes and the comments, we used a smaller drill bit for the holes and drilled less holes.  You can always make them bigger if needed.  The smaller size and number of holes still gave us good “sprinklage” and water pressure.  I didn’t have to turn the hose on very much at all.  We drilled 5 holes in the 2 back cross bars evenly spaced apart starting 1-inch in from the edges.  We drilled 3 holes in each of the lower bars.
  • Drill the top crossbar holes on the bottom so the water sprays down.  Drill the side bar holes on the top so the water sprays straight up.  You can twist all the bars to have the water spray where you want it to go.

Decorate how you’d like!  Pool noodles are cheap and make your KidWash colorful.  Even “big” kids will have fun.

 NOW GET WET!

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Crafting With My Grandson

My grandson is 3 and he loves to color.  So, I had him scribble all over a piece of white paper with green markers, crayons, and colored pencils.  Then, I cut out shamrock shapes from his colored paper and outlined them with black marker.  I glued these onto another piece of white paper.  You can use heavy weight paper, color both sides and hang them from a mobile or in the window.   They look a little like stained glass.

Button, Button, Who’s Got the Button?

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Stretchy Button Bracelets

Here is a quick, easy, and fun project for all ages – button bracelets made on stretch cording.  After some trial and error, I have covered some things in the instructions that were missing from other online instructions.  Have fun mixing colors, shapes and embellishments!

Supplies:

  • Buttons!  Any shape, size, and color you’d like.
  • Stretch cording (I used Stretch Magic .5mm) – the size of the cord should suit the size of the button holes.  The larger the hole, the thicker the cord.
  • Scissors
  • Small clip
1.  Line up your buttons in the order you want them on your bracelet.  Try different colors and patterns until you find a grouping you like.

2.  Cut a length of cord that will circle your wrist 3 times loosely.  Cut a second length of cord to match.  You will be using both cords together to string the buttons for added strength.  Give the cords a good tug to stretch them a bit before stringing.  This will help to keep it from “stretching out” after some wear.

3.  Hold the 2 strands together and place the clip on 1 end of the strands.
4.  Using both strands together, string the buttons in an over-under weaving pattern.  This method of stringing will help the buttons lie nicely and the buttons will be in an alternating top layer and bottom layer pattern.  Don’t push the buttons to the clip.  Leave some length for tying.  If you are using 4-hole buttons, thread the cords through holes on the diagonal.  On the first button, bring the cords up through the hole from the back to the front, then down into the second hole from the front to the back.  On the second button, thread the cords from the front to the back and up to the front again.  On the third button, thread the cords from the back to the front and down to the back again.  As you string, pull the buttons snuggly together.  Repeat this until you have enough buttons strung to fit around your wrist.  Don’t make it too tight on your wrist.  As you pull the buttons snuggly to each other, you’ll see the top row and bottom row pattern emerge.  If you started stringing with a top layer button, end with a bottom layer button to keep the pattern uniform when you tie it.    Make adjustments in the button spacing by sliding the buttons and tightening them up.

 *If your fingers don’t work too well, use a beading needle to thread the cord through the holes.

5.  Remove the clip and tie the ends together using a surgeon’s knot.  Hold the 2 ends and tie a knot like you are tying your shoe. But, before you pull it tight, wrap the cords through the loop 2 more times.  Pull tight.  Repeat this 2 more times.  Cut the end close to the knot.

6.  Now, embellish your bracelet by gluing on rhinestones or beads if you’d like.

7.  Wear your new bracelet!

I made this one for my granddaughter and niece.  The following is one I made for me. I later embellished it.

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