Prickly Play Doh Cactus

Are you looking for a fun project for older kids that something you probably already have at home? This prickly play doh cactus craft is awesome for tweens and teens and maybe even Mom or Dad too. Anyone who loves cacti will appreciate this easy and fun way to add a little cactus flair to your space.

I have always been a big fan of play doh. When I was a kid myself, I begged for it all the time. When I was a tween, I did every school project possible with play doh. As a twenty something, I made my much cooler friends roll their eyes at my play doh collection. Now I am a mom, and guess what? I STILL LOVE PLAY DOH! 

This project came about during an afternoon of missing the kids while they were at school. I started playing with green doh and here we are, making a cool, prickly play doh cactus.

Disclaimer. This is NOT a kid project. Do not do this with your toddlers, preschoolers, infants, or kindergartners. They will get hurt. 

Supplies:

A small terracotta pot

Green play doh

Toothpicks

A few rocks

Directions:

Fill half of your pot with rocks. 

 Shape your green play doh into a long lump.

Attach a few lumps to the sides, like the arms of a cactus.

Now, take about ten toothpicks and break them in half.

Start sticking the toothpicks into the play doh, like the little spikes of a cactus, insert them broken side into the doh.

As you can see, I thought a little purple flower was a nice touch. Feel free to vary this as you like.

Display on your desk, or on a shelf out of reach of little hands. Over time this will dry out. You can toss it, or keep it as is when that happens. It is a matter of preference.

If you liked this project check out all of my play doh projects.

Reader favorites include:

Toddler Play Doh Puzzles

Play Doh Pie Counting

I would be so grateful if you shared this post on social media, or pin it to your crafts for adults board.

Planning a Road Trip With Your Newborn? Here's What to Carry For Sure!

New parents may have a heap of responsibilities on their shoulders, but that does not mean they can't enjoy their lives. Being blessed with a newborn often restricts the lives of new parents. But that's when you do not step ahead with a plan. 

Out of all the restrictions, one is not to travel for a few months or maybe years. Do you still live with that stereotype? Well, that's not an ideal way of enjoying your parenthood. Rather than restricting your lifestyle and adventurous plans, consider preparing for such moments and continue living the way you want. 

Travel with newborns - 

Don't see it as a challenge, instead plan for it accordingly. All you need is to equip yourself with everything your newborn needs, and you are all set to experience a perfect family road trip. Let's sail through some of the necessary things you need to keep -

#1 - Diapers - Go for quality absorbent and affordable ones as you will require them in a huge amount. Here, a rule of thumb is to keep a diaper for every hour. But at the same time, you can't judge your baby's cycle; thus, keep a few extras too. Ensure you safeguard your baby's skin with some eco-friendly material made of diapers. 

#2 - Cotton blankets - No matter if it's snowfall or the scorching sun is tanning your skin, your baby will require being draped in a muslin swaddle blanket always, especially during the nights. Keep a stock of blanket bags as you will need them for multiple purposes. For example - blankets can be used as a burp cloth, changing pad, shopping cart cover, sun cover, nursing cover, for bedding purposes, and much more. 

#3 - Car seat - It's obvious your baby can't sit on the normal car seats as you do. Thus you should look for a baby car seat. You can get a quality infant car seat online at reasonable prices. Ensure to check the online reviews of such products before purchasing the same. An ideal car seat is the one that has works as a car seat cum stroller and comes with a fully integrated travel system for your and your baby's convenience. Besides checking a few other product features like removable and washable textiles, made with baby-safe material or not, it has an adjustable handlebar, rear-facing, manufacturing warranty, and much more. 

#4 - Rash cream - Babies are likely to catch a skin infection or irritation due to a sudden change in the climate. This requires keeping a rash or quality skin cream to protect the little life from disease and skin-related issues. Here, ensure to consult a practitioner before applying a product to the baby's fragile skin. Different products are likely to have other impacts on the baby's skin. 

The final line -

Unarguably, traveling with a newborn is a daunting task. You need to be ready with everything your baby will require throughout the tour. From comforting the new life to giving timely feeds, there are many hurdles. But guess what, a little bit of preparation and planning can help you sail through it. 

Pretzel Mummy Snack

This 3 ingredient treat is a total scream for Halloween. This is great for party snacks or just as an easy way to give pretzels a little costume of their own for the occasion.

 

After a year and a half of homeschooling my kids, they are back to in person learning. Let me first off say, hats off to all the homeschool families and distance learning families. That is no easy feat! I don't think I realized how time consuming school was for us until they went back to normal.

I usually find that I have just enough time to make something special for their afternoon snack after cleaning the house, tending to the pets, and enjoying my own coffee and podcast time. This was one of the treats I made for the kids that they LOVED. Best of all, it is so easy that anyone can make these, in just a couple of minutes.

Ingredients:

Pretzels

Melted white candy wafers

Candy eyes

Melt the candy and dip the pretzels in. Fish them out with a fork or spoon.

Related: Ghost Ornaments

Drop the pretzels onto some parchment or wax paper.

'

Drop on some candy eyes.

Alternately, if you prefer, you can just drizzle on some melted white chocolate right onto the pretzels.

Either way is totally delicious and easy!

Then drop on the candy eyes.

  

Then let them dry for about a half hour.

Serve immediately after they have hardened.

Store in an airtight container if you have leftovers.

 

If you are looking for more Halloween treats check out these favorites:

12 Ghouslish Snacks for Halloween 

Play Doh Pumpkin Faces are so much fun for little ones this Halloween too!

5 Reasons Why You Should Switch to Sustainable Clothing

 

Did you know that you could look stylish and save the environment at the same time? If you care about the environment, then it is high time that you switch to sustainable clothing. Sustainable clothing is clothing that is made from eco-friendly fabrics such as organic cotton. The clothing industry is one of the leading significant contributors to environmental & human damage.  However, you can be the change you want to see by making prudent decisions on the type of clothes you buy. The following are reasons why you should switch to sustainable clothing.

Go for High Quality, Save more Cash!

Why go for a low quality while you can choose a high quality that is guaranteed to serve you for the long term? Sustainable brands focus on quality. Sustainable clothing is made from fabrics that can stand the test of time. Sustainable fabrics are strong and can go for years, so you will not have to keep buying clothes. Low-quality clothing is cheap, but they do not last long, which means that you will keep buying clothes, which makes it expensive. Sustainable clothing may be expensive in the short term, but these materials last longer, thus making it worth your money.

Conserve Water

You will be surprised how the fashion industry is highly dependent on Water. Water is used in the production processes, such as dyeing and finishing, for nearly all clothes. Cotton suck in a lot of Water. That is why sustainable brands use organic cotton, which uses less water. A single shirt made from regular cotton requires 2700 liters of water for it to be produced. That is crazy, right?  However, using eco-friendly fabrics can reduce water consumption by 91%, making it the best choice to go for.

Save Animal & Plant Life

The fashion industry has a negative impact on animal life. Imagine that an animal had to give up its life for you to have that cute leather jacket, skirt with fur on it, or those pretty pair of shoes you love. It isn't kind! Sustainable clothing brands look for alternatives such as waste from the sea, yeast, bio-fabricated vegan wool, plant-based composts, among others, to avoid this cruelty.  Most brands that deal with sustainable women's clothing do play a massive role in reducing pollution to the environment through recycling. Switching to these options means you are contributing to the wellbeing of animals, plants and our planet!

Lower the Carbon Footprint

Fast fashion industries mainly use petroleum-based fabrics, including nylon, polyester, and acrylic, which emit so much carbon during production.  On the other hand, sustainable clothing is made from natural materials and recycled fabrics, making them eco-friendly. These organic fabrics are always biodegradable, making them the best because they protect both you and the environment.

Help Workers Earn what they deserve!

Unlike in fast fashion industries where workers get mistreated and work for long hours and only earn less, sustainable clothing brands care for their workers. Most workers in the fast fashion industries live in poverty, as others suffer the risk of sexual assault. Buying that sustainable dress or a pair of trousers can be a means to change these workers' lives. Workers in sustainable industries work in favorable conditions, and their health is put into consideration.

Wrap up

What is greater than knowing that your money is being used for the greater good? When you purchase sustainable clothing, you not only benefit from it but also the whole of humanity does. You can build a better world by buying the right types of clothing. We hope that the points above have given you enough reasons to go green with more sustainable clothing on your wardrobe!

Reasons Why Wine Is Still A Good Gift Option To Consider

 Reasons Why Wine Is Still A Good Gift Option To Consider 

The festive season is approaching us in a month or two. Thus, it's a good idea to think about some thoughtful gifts. Such circumstances are common to lead us to the dilemma of picking wise gifts for our relatives, colleagues, and friends. You may look through multiple options, but deep down, the solution is with the cellar. 

The connection between a cellar and gift items - 

It may interest you to know that wine is acknowledged as an ideal gift. The ancient Greeks considered it as a gift from the Almighty. In their culture, the Ancient Egyptians were common to bury their loved ones along with a handful of supplies to ensure they remained happy afterlife. 

Now you may be considering 'wine' as an outdated gift option, but when waking up to the realities, you will realize wine is a sophisticated and wise gift item. If you still don't believe us, surf through these legit reasons to change your perspective. 

#1 - Picking the right wine for the right person - Most people in your circle may be in love with sipping wine, but not all of them would love to go for the exact wine. From vegetarian wines to something unique like Sauvignon Blanc, there are many wines to choose from. This gives you ample options to select a safe and thoughtful gift. 

#2 - Wine for all occasions - No matter if it's Christmas eve or a gift for your friend's achievements, remember there is a wine type for everything. For instance - most people prefer Champagne and sparkling wines for special occasions, whereas others prefer Domaine Leroy Musigny for a plush home warming. All in all, you won't run out of options made just for you. 

#3 - It's a way of honoring someone you admire - Wines are considered an ideal way to honor someone who has achieved a remarkable feat in life. Countries like Argentina, U.S., and South Africa are considered the maximum for regional wines ensuring an authentic wine experience. 

#4 - Adorable packaging options - When it comes to gifting, its packaging plays a crucial role in impressing the receiver. And that's when wines work as an ideal gift for you. The markets are loaded with many wine bottle decoration items or boxes to make this job easier for you. All you need is to surf through the suitable options. 

#5 - Online platforms to assist you - Many online platforms are helping you choose the right wine type. Such platforms make you undergo a wine quiz and discover and display relevant results to have the most suitable wine for yourself. For this, you can consider joining a monthly wine club enriching your knowledge about the best tasting wines available in the market. So, what are you waiting for?

The last word - 

Choosing a thoughtful gift for your friend or close ones can turn into a significant challenge, primarily when you have been revolving around some selective gift options in your life. Here, wine works as a progressive gift option strengthening your bond with the one you are gifting it. But make sure you are reaping enough knowledge about the best wines available around.