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patriotic driftwood bubble wands

June 26, 2015

patriotic bubble wand pleasure in simple things blog

The Fourth of July at the beach is great! And, just like in the rest of the nation, some serious red, white, and blue action is going down! It starts early in the day with the kick-off red, white, and blue parade. The kiddies dress themselves, their bikes, their dogs – and just about anything else you can think of – in the colors of the day!  Once the evening arrives, a magnificent display of fireworks is the crowning glory of these patriotic hues.

diy patriotic driftwood bubble wands pleasure in simple things blog

The relaxed vibe at the beach makes it easy to create – most times using items found on the beach. A classic example is the crab catcher. This handy item is crafted from an old wooden clothespin and some string. When baited with whatever scrap of meat or meat related product can be salvaged, it works its magic!

making bubbles with homemade wands pleasure in simple things blog

Another handy item for the beach is a bubble maker aka bubble wand.  For the holiday, this can be a fun patriotic craft!  Using some dish detergent (1 patriotic driftwood bubble wands pleasure in simple things blogtablespoon dish liquid per 1 cup water) and some homemade bubble wands, it is super simple to create some fun in the sand. Running along the beach after bubbles can keep the young (or young at heart) occupied for hours!

Bubble wands are easy to make using pipe cleaners and driftwood.  They can be decorated with shells, scraps of ribbon, or any other number of items washed up on shore.  Some crafters take time for elaborate decorations. while others work fast; anxious to get to the bubble part!  (Yes, the star shapes do work to make bubbles, but are much more complicated for young fingers to create.)

For today’s Friday field trip, I wanted to show you some of the wands I made at the beach. You can use wire or stiff ribbon – anything that will hold its shape. I used items I already had. The smaller ones here are made with a sparkly wired ribbon and the others are made with metallic pipe cleaners.

patriotic beach day pleasure in simple things

I like to make the bubbles by dipping the wands into a shallow container of the bubble liquid; especially for the larger bubble wands. This makes it easy to dip the wand and the shallow container helps avoid knocking over the solution.  Remember, the larger the wand, the larger the bubble!

loading bubbles onto a homemade bubble wand pleasure in simple things blog

And, for some extra night time fun, break open a glow stick to add to your bubble solution for some glow-in-the-dark bubbles!

I hope I have inspired you to create some bubble wands of your own!

4th of July pleasure in simple things blog

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with House of Hipsters, Thoughts From AliceCraftberry Bush, Nancherrow, and The Shabby Nest.

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baby robins are born

June 23, 2015

Robins nest for baby birds pleasure in simple things blog

How was your Father’s Day weekend? As I suspect it is for most gals that have lost their dads, Father’s Day is kind of sad for me. When my children were small, I was wonderfully distracted by helping them with festivities to celebrate their dad. As they get older; not so much.

This year, I had a wonderful distraction. Over the past weekend, I was able to watch a new dad take care of his two babies! The dad I am referring to is a father robin and he has been caring for his two little newborn birds in a nearby primrose bush!

robins coming out of egg pleasure in simple things blog

The little newborns are so cute – in an ugly sort of way, of course. I will have another 10 days or so before they leave the nest and I am enjoying the show! Both parents are frantically back and forth to the nest, feeding the little tikes.

When the parents are away from the nest, the babies stay very still and look like they are hiding. Instinctively, I think they must stay still for protection. As soon as the parents come close, the little ones have their mouths wide open and are ready to accept the next morsel!

birds in nest  day 1 pleasure in simple things blog

You may have seen the Instagram video (click here and click follow to see Instagram postings)  I posted a couple of days ago with the actual birth – it took the little babies a good part of the day to peck through the shells. When they were done, the father cleared the broken shell pieces out of the nest. (Dad on clean up? Doesn’t really translate to most human families lol!)

miracle of baby birds pleasure in simple things

Because of the position of the nest, I have had a really easy time viewing the process…the best of any other year. I sneak peeks occasionally, when the parents are off on their food quests. The next milestone for me will be to see the babies open their eyes – this should happen in a day or two!

baby robin head pleasure in simple things blog

I hope you enjoyed seeing this year’s Father’s Day tribute. ;)

Thanks for stopping by. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Sand & Sisal, Coastal Charm, and Elizabeth & Co.

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9 special diy ideas for father’s day

June 16, 2015

seafood forks pleasure in simple things blog

It’s a cold, miserable day today.  After arriving home from work, I should really be outside painting furniture or finishing my current read.  Instead, the weather has kept me inside.  Yes, I could be binge watching the third season of Orange is the New Black, but instead I am looking through some old posts to find some fun things to make for Father’s Day.

I put together nine favorites from my archives to help inspire you to make something special for Dad this year on his day!

beverage gifts for Fathers Day pleasure in simple things blog

Edible gifts are popular with any Dad.  Here are a couple ‘over 21’ beverages that are sure to be a hit.  Click here for a recipe to make homemade Bailey’s Irish Cream and click here to learn how to make some great jelly shots shaped like fish!

zip code tray pleasure in simple things blog

This zip code tray is a stylish and super practical place for Dad to leave his keys.  It also is a great way for Dad to remember where he left his keys!  Click here for instructions.

tie dye pleasure in simple things blog

A tie dye shirt is as much fun to make as it is to give!  The whole family can enjoy making Dad a piece of clothing dyed personally for him!  Click here for easy instructions!

nautical coasters pleasure in simple things blog

Making coasters for Dad is easy and fun. Click here for several great ideas.  Old cardboard, jar tops, and discarded six-pack packaging are a few of the items that make creative coasters!

gift wrap ideas for Fathers Day pleasure in simple things blog

Any gift is more special when it is presented in a special way!  Click here to learn how to make your own gift wrap and click here to see how easily you can create a unique paint can gift package!

entertaining gifts for Fathers Day pleasure in simple things blog

If your Dad is more the entertaining type, here are two great gift ideas.  Click here for ideas for creating your own napkin designs.  Another great idea is to make a set of forks for seafood dinners…the fun part about this gift is that it is created using something from Dad’s garage!  Click here to find out more!

I hope you enjoyed these few DIY ideas from the archives to help make Father’s Day a little more special!

Thank you for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Coastal Charm and Elizabeth & Co.

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cookies ‘n’ creme strawberries

April 7, 2015

cookies 'n' creme dipped strawberries pleasure in simple things blog

My assignment for the family Easter dinner was desserts.  I love making the desserts and every year I try to make a nice variety.  To make sure fruit was well represented, I chose to make chocolate covered strawberries as one of the dessert choices.

chocolate dipped strawberries pleasure in simple things blog

Typically, I dip the strawberries in a good quality semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate and pipe some white chocolate as an accent.

eating cookies 'n' creme strawberries pleasure in simple things blog
This year, I added an additional variety – cookies ‘n’ creme dipped strawberries!  They were extremely easy to make.  I simply melted a couple of large Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Creme chocolate bars, and that is what I used to dip the strawberries in!  No added ingredients – just the melted candy bars.  Simple.

dipped strawberries pleasure in simple things blog

And, you know what?  They were really good!  The white chocolate went so well with the strawberries and there was a nice little crunch factor!

2 kinds of chocolate dipped strawberries pleasure in simple things blog
So, this year the chocolate covered strawberry contingency was well represented.  Give the cookies ‘n’ creme a try – I think you will be pleasantly surprised!  Or, try using another favorite candy bar.  I think a chocolate mint candy bar would be a nice option! :)

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Sand & Sisal, Elizabeth & Co., and Coastal Charm.

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picnic themed easter eggs

April 3, 2015

picnic themed easter eggs pleasure in simple things

It is hard for me to believe I have not yet posted one decorated egg this year!  You may already know I am so obsessed with the whole egg dyeing process!  With Easter only two short days away, I am sharing a few of this year’s decorated eggs today on Friday field trip.

Every year, I try to decorate, at least a few of my eggs, differently than I have ever done before. This year, I created picnic themed Easter eggs! Using dye and adding some watercolor detail, I chose three picnic icons and created my interpretations on eggs! The icons? A watermelon, a red checked tablecloth – complete with ants – and a corn on the cob! You know you can’t have a picnic without these items, right?

creating a watermelon Easter egg

I dyed an egg part red and part green for the watermelon egg, then used watercolor paints to add some additional detail.

corn cob easter eggs pleasure in simple things blog

The corn on the cob egg started as a yellow dyed egg.

detail on a picnic themed tablecloth Easter egg pleasure in simple things

For the picnic tablecloth egg, I applied red watercolor paint to a white egg using a small square cut from a kitchen sponge. Using a sponge, rather than a paintbrush, I was able to add some texture to the egg. Then, I just added the obligatory picnic visitors with some glue!

acloseup picnic ant Easter egg pleasure in simple things

Did you come up with some new creations in egg dyeing this year?

a finished corn on the cob Easter egg pleasure in simple things blog

Thanks so much for stopping by. For those who celebrate – wishing you and those you love. a very blessed Easter.

Have a wonderful weekend. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie xo

Sharing with Fridays UnfoldedThe Shabby Nest, Craftberry Bush, and French Country Cottage.

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easter fortune eggs

March 24, 2015

easter egg fortune takeaways pleasure in simple things blog

Today I am sharing a really quick and fun Easter takeaway idea.

For this project, I used plastic, fillable Easter eggs. It is so very uncharacteristic of me to use these brightly colored eggs! And, I have to admit, it was very hard for me to resist transforming the plastic eggs by painting them in neutral hues and adding speckles!

fun easter fortune eggs pleasure in simple things blog
With that said, I decided to use the eggs I had on hand to create some ‘fortune eggs.’

I filled each egg with a mini version of my favorite Easter treat – the Cadbury crème egg (they are so cute!) – in addition to a favorite quote. These small eggs don’t fit much more. I was able to squeeze in two additional little candies inside each egg.

fun Easter idea pleasure in simple things blog
You may wish to use a bible quote or fortune in place of the quote.  If you are creating this for a family party, you may want to write up some favorite family memories to include in the eggs.

basket full of Easter fortunes pleasure in simple things blog
These ‘fortune eggs’ are great when you are beyond the Easter egg hunt stage. It is the perfect opportunity to provide your friends and/or family with a little treat to celebrate Easter! So fun!

I hope I have inspired you to come up with your own version of ‘fortune eggs!’

small easter egg pleasure in simple things blog
Thanks for stopping by! Remember to find pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry BushSand & Sisal, Coastal Charm, and Crafts a la Mode.

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growing easter grass

March 17, 2015

hello sunshine Easter grass pleasure in simple things blog

I am a huge proponent of unconventional Easter baskets – I think an Easter basket can be any vessel that appeals to your sense of style. And, at Easter time, I feel the same way about the containers I chose to plant grass seeds. I love to plant grass in any and all containers (including Easter baskets) that currently hit my fancy! Today, I am sharing a couple of this year’s container picks for grass planting!

You don’t need to celebrate Easter to plant grass – think of it as a ‘celebration of spring’ activity!  A grass filled mug makes a cute spring gift that can be reused long after the recipient tires of the grass.

fun Easter grass pleasure in simple things blog

Any type of grass seed will work. Here, I have used wheat grass seeds. It won’t take more than a week to have a nice patch of grass. Just put potting soil in the container you have chosen. I always use packaged soil, not soil from the outdoors. The reason for this is that I don’t need any unwanted insects, etc. from the outdoor soil to find their way into my home!

steps in planting Easter grass pleasure in simple  things blog

Liberally add grass seeds onto the soil, and then cover with a thin layer of additional soil. Water your new planting and keep in a sunny spot. Be careful not to water too much if you have a small container and/or no drainage. You will want to moisten the soil, but too much water (a puddle) will inhibit the seeds from growing.

an easter grass plant pleasure in simple things blog

Now you can just water daily and wait for the seeds to grow! They will sprout very quickly and grow rapidly. They are so much fun!

I always start planting containers in March and just trim the grass with scissors if needed. You may remember last year I shared planting grass in egg shells – click here to see the tutorial for planting grass in real egg shells.

single grass in weck jar for easter pleasure in simple things blog

Small, clear glass containers, like the Weck jars I have used here, provide an opportunity to see the roots of the plant. In this way, using one of these tiny jars at each Easter place setting at the ‘kids table’ is a great way to get the children excited about the growing process! Additional jars can be used to fill with treats.

grass place cards pleasure in simple things blog

cadbury eggs in weck jar favors pleasure in simple things blog

Do you have a special container in mind to try your hand at growing grass? I would love to see what you choose!

spring quote pleasure in simple things blog

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with Craftberry Bush, The Shabby NestNancherrow, Thoughts from Alice, Sand & Sisal, and House of Hipsters.

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happy chinese new year!

February 20, 2015

Chinese New Year pleasure in simple things blog

Yesterday started Chinese New Year. In celebration, for today’s Friday field trip, I am sharing some special Chinese art given to me. These images are photos of Chinese paper cuts.

paper cuts for Chinese New Year pleasure in simple things

Paper-cutting (Jianzhi in Chinese) is one of the oldest and most popular folk arts in China.

pleasure in simple things Chinese New Year

As early as 3 BC – before paper was even invented – paper-cutting techniques were used in China on leaves or other thin materials. Chinese paper-cutting is the first type of paper-cutting design since paper was invented in China!

Chinese paper cuts pleasure in simple things blog

Aren’t they amazing?

chinese paper cuts on pleasure in simple things blog

one chinese paper cut pleasure in simple things blog

Have a wonderful weekend!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. You may not be celebrating Chinese New Year by creating designs like these, but maybe try creating some yummy bubble tea?  Click here to check out how to do it!

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personalizing homemade party crackers

December 26, 2014

personalized party crackers for 2015 pleasure in simple things blog

Party crackers are nothing new. But, last year when a family member used them as wedding favors, I started giving them a little more thought. Why not make my own personalized version of a party cracker? So, I had been thinking about them for a while…I even saved all my empty toilet paper rolls (for over a year!) to use in creating some of my own.

For my research, I spoke to my friend from London. Julie filled me in on proper party cracker etiquette. The three required items that must be contained in the cracker – per tradition – are: a toy, a paper crown, and a joke. I planned on following tradition, but for my version, I decided to substitute a treat for the toy.

candy for new year's party crackers pleasure in simple things blog

I had the design aspect in my head and I was pretty sure I could come up with a good looking cracker as well as the right combination of contents…but, what about the noise the cracker makes when it is opened?! That was the part I wasn’t sure about! After looking around online, I found the ‘crack’ was actually a thin strip of paper that contained a little bit of gun powder called a cracker snap.  I purchased the cracker snaps from Olde English Crackers and found a video they posted on the assembly steps to create the crackers. Click here for the instructions. (Note: I did not use the rollers shown on the video and had no trouble making the party crackers without them. I did find it was very useful to make a center line with a pencil on both the toilet paper roll and the wrong side of the decorative paper to use as guides. )

papers for party crackers pleasure in simple things blog

Since my first set of party crackers were being created for New Year’s Eve, I decided the outside of the crackers would be black (with an added hint of green for an accent color) to coordinate with a set of black dishes I planned to use for New Year’s Eve dinner. If you decide to make some crackers, think about what color(s)/pattern(s) would look best on your dinner table!

I bought sheets of decorative paper at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Store (on sale) for just pennies a sheet. I chose coordinating black patterns with stripes, stars, and script writing. I personalized some circle gift tag stickers with ‘2015!’ from Tiny Prints (click here for website) in my black and green color theme and I used a green sparkle ribbon to tie the ends of the crackers.

contents of personalized party crackers pleasure in simple things blog

For the inside contents of the crackers, I decided on a neutral color scheme. I printed jokes on my home computer that I found online – adding a little embellishment with a gold marker. I crafted the paper crowns from a pretty taupe and white patterned tissue paper. And, for the treat, I made up little bags of champagne flavored candy that I found at Williams-Sonoma…so elegant and so appropriate! A little handful of homemade confetti added a little extra touch of gold to the contents!

making jokes for party crackers pleasure in simple things blog

Party crackers are so much fun to create – personalizing them is the best part! The only limitation is keeping your contents within the confines of the inside space of an empty toilet paper roll!

making personalized party crackers pleasure in simple things blog

I hope I have inspired you to try your hand at creating some party crackers on today’s Friday field trip! I already have some in mind for my 4th of July party this summer! If you need help with some ideas or have questions, send me an email and I’d be happy to help!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing with The Shabby Nest and Elizabeth & Co.

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snowballs for dessert

December 23, 2014

great holiday dessert ice cream snowballs pleasure in simple things blog

Do you need a quick and easy, stress free, last minute holiday dessert?  Small individual desserts at a meal are especially perfect at the holidays. Since there is so much snacking and treat eating between meals, a small refreshing sweet is ideal.  Do you want to know what I think fits the bill perfectly? Snowballs!

icecream snowball for dessert pleasure in simple things blog

Some of the best desserts are the simplest. And. at the holidays, snowballs are perfect!  Just 2 easy ingredients – vanilla ice cream and coconut – create a delicious snowball for dessert. This dessert looks so seasonal on a holiday table, and it is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages!  There is no better way to bring back memories of creating snowmen or participating in long ago snowball battles!

vanilla bean ice cream to make snowballs for dessert pleasure in simple things blog

I love ice cream snowballs. They are such a festive winter dessert.  Just make a round of a good quality vanilla bean ice cream and roll it in coconut – voila!  A snowball!

For an easy upgrade, a pool of chocolate or raspberry sauce can easily be added to the bottom of the bowl.  Or, for those over 21, add a favorite liquor – peppermint or peach are great choices. Myself – I prefer just a garnish of sugared cranberries or raspberries and some mint.

seasonal cranberry and mint garnish on snowball for dessert pleasure in simple things blog

I use red mini latte bowls from Anthropologie to serve – the perfect size for a single snowball!  (The dishtowel is also from Anthro.)

If you have little children, you may want to consider stacking the snowballs to make a snowman or serving a ‘snow fort’ on a platter, to be portioned out at the table!  Enjoy!

Wishing you and those you love a very blessed holiday.  Thank you so very much for sharing pleasure in simple things with me!

See you after the holiday, Jackie xoxo

Sharing with House of Hipsters, The Shabby NestElizabeth & Co., and Sand & Sisal.

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