Cups and Straws Cleaning Tip

We all try and do our part, Right?  Help the environment, recycle, upcycle. 

(If Your a crafter Upcycle is your favorite!)   

Well I try to do my little part.  I am kind of a water brat.  I will not drink from the tap.  It tastes a little weird.  Maybe its from my Flight Attendant days. Not quite sure.

(I flew back in my glory days of no kids or responsibility. What a fantastic job. Just me, myself and I. Sometimes I miss those days.)

 We always drank bottled water.  Especially on the airplane. 

Well no more.  

I love these new cups with lids.  My girlfriend turned me onto them about 2 years ago.  I love them.  They are convenient and easy.  I find that I drink more water and feel better.  

I had just one hang up.  I could not drink anything but water in them. 

 The whole bacteria in the straw that I can't clean easily. Kind of Creeps me out.

 So I gave them up for a bit. 

I knew I wanted them back in my life so I came up with an easy method to clean that straw and keep the creeps out. 

Add caption

Supplies:

Dishsoap

Pipe cleaner

Fold one end of the pipe cleaner about 1 inch.

This may vary depending on the circumference of your straw. 

 You may need to fold it over twice.

Dab a dot of dish soap on the folded end of the Pipe Cleaner.

I use Hot water to flush the straw out then stick the Pipe Cleaner in the straw.

Twist, Turn and Pull in and out until your straw is to your standards.

You may have to do this to the other end if your pipe cleaner does not reach the end. 

Rinse well with hot water and all clean. 

No more gross things growing in your straw. 

Quick, Easy and Cheap.  

I kind of have a collection.  One for the car, the kitchen, the craft  room and my bedroom.  I picked up a few after Halloween for $2.  Yeah, for me. 

These also make fantastic gifts for Co-workers, teachers or family. 

Here are a few ideas. For gift giving ideas!
This is also a great way to clean your sippy cups if you have toddlers!

So buy a cup (They are only about $5), clean the straw (I just showed you how) and help save the Planet.

. Fill them with a fun little treat (and a pipe cleaner) and you are ready to go.

Easy Peasy!

Thanks for Looking. 

Adrienne

Home Made Holiday Winners!

Monday, November 28, 2011Giveaway Winners!


It's time to announce all the winers of our Homemade for the Holidays giveaways! Thank you to all who entered and followed along for the past few weeks. We had a ton of fun putting it together, and we hope you enjoyed our ideas :) Without further adieu....


{Boys necktie pattern} Winner: Brooke


Brooke said:

I liked you on fb. Your son is adorable!

www.inside-outdesign.blogspot.com


{Girls pattern from Cosette's Closet} Winner: Jean Marie
Jean Marie said:

Just became a new follower!
{Christmas Pillow Kit} Winner: Brooke
Brooke said:

and I liked you on fb!


{$25 HomeGoods gift card} Winner: Kelly

Kelly said:

Such cute ideas! I'm a new follower. :)


{For the Ladies - Necklace} Winner: Amy
Amy said:

Love the necklace! I'm a new follower. And I'd love for you to share this here:

http://oneartmama.blogspot.com/2011/11/shine-on-fridays-2-and-some-fabulous.html


{Car T-shirt kit} Winner: Enrique and Lindsay
Enrique and Lindsay said:

I'm a follower!
{Grandparents frames & earrings} Winner: Patty C
Patty C said:

I like Pick Your Plum on facebook!



{25 homemade gift tags} Winner: Shanny
Shanny said:

I like you on FB!



{Grand Prize: $50 in Craft Supplies from Pick Your Plum} Winner: Sissypoo



Loopy Ribbon Christmas Trees by Sissypoo

We will also be picking our favorite traditions ideas to receive a little gift from each of us.



*Winners will be notified via email within 24 hours. Please respond asap to get your prize!



Thanks again to everyone who entered and followed our series! We'll be back soon sharing more Christmas ideas :) Happy Monday!

Traditions Link Party

Welcome to our Christmas Link Party.  Anything Christmas goes.  Link a project or 2.  Be sure to link back. Share with a few friends.  Maybe comment on a few.  We all LOVE comments. And enjoy. Check out our other  Home Made Holidays posts and giveaways. Entries close Saturday Night.

Every Linked Project is entered into our Big Giveaway.

Pick Your Plum is sponsoring our giveaway with a $50 secret box of Goodies.Christmas will come early!

I Love Pick Your Plum. Yummy Items for your Crafting Pleasure.

Here are a few items they have had in the past.

They sell one craft item a day for half the price. Get them before your neighbor does.
Click on the link to the right to check out there site.
  So on to our link party.  Anything Christmas goes.  Link a project, a picture from an online photo site like Photo Bucket and have fun.  We will be choosing for our grand prize on Sunday November 28th with Random.org and Holly, Nat and I will be choosing our favorites to share and send you a little love in the mail.  Come back Monday Morning to see if its you.

<center><a href="http://www.freetimefrolics.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://http://freetimefrolics.blogspot.com/2011/11/hand-made-holidays-is-here.html"/></a></center>

Home Made for the Holidays: Day 11: Stockings and Wrapping

Stockings have been a tradition for decades. And there are lots of theories about why we do it. Whatever your reason it is a loved tradition.

Stockings are so hard sometimes. I like to have fun sensible things in my kiddos stockings. Some are traditions that I have had since Iwas a kid others are new things we have added as our family has grown.
Here is a list of things I like to use.

1. Pudding snack: I like to use this because if you open presents one at a time like I did as a kid you get really hungry. At one time for a few years there were 10 of us. We had a yours, mine and ours family. Christmas morning went on for hours. Pudding taste good and it give your your milk. LOL. I guess.





2. Orange or Raspberry chocolate sticks. By Sweets Candy. I love these things. They usually cost about $3 and fill the stocking. For as long as I can remember I have gotten these little beauties for Christmas. Now as a mom I do the same for my kids. They love them too. On a side note: If you live in Salt Lake City you can go on a tour of the Sweets candy factory located in West Valley. You can buy these yummy treats in Bulk and other treats. ie. Chocolate covered Cinnamon Bears. If you haven't had one, You must try. They are delightful.

3. Gift cards: My boys are hitting the age that they want a choice in the things they want. This year its the app store.



4. Dollar Store items: I like cheap easy toys, that I don't care if I throw them away a month later. Walmart has a selection of $1 toys and activities. That prove to be pretty goods and the kids enjoy them. 

5. Electric Tooth Brushes: I love to buy electric tooth brushes for Christmas. My kids love them but sometimes they can be a bit pricey. So for Christmas I splurge a little bit. My kids like getting them because they are electric and usually there favorite super hero or character and they get a new toothbrush that makes mom happy. All is good in the world.

6. Head phones: I like the idea of head phones. They are small. Can be inexpensive if you want. And when there video game of MP3 player is to loud. They have there very own pair of headphones to use.

7. Oranges. Every year for Christmas I woke up to an orange in the toe of my stocking. Another yummy treat to eat when opening gifts. These also go great as a gift to a neighbor or to kids given along with the book the Christmas Orange. It was written by a lady I knew as a child. A very sweet story.

Here are a few more links to other stocking options.  Lots of things to choose from.  I hope your holiday season is filled with family, friends, good food and lots of lovign memories!

For Wrapping those beautiful gifts head on over to:
My Sister's Suitcase
for some fantastic ideas and a giveaway.
Don't forget our other giveaways.  Here is the List.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for our Family tradions link party.  We have a fantastic prize to one lucky winner.  A  gift pack from Pick Your Plum. A suprise box your going to love!
Be sure to come back and bring a few friends with you!

Home Made for the Holiday {Grand parents}

I have this Wonderful, Crafty Neighbor.  She is amazing.  She doesn't have a blog to follow cuz she is busy teaching her 5 girls how to craft, cook and sew. And let me tell you, those girls (the older ones of course) craft, sew and cook just like there Momma. Amazing!!! I don't know how she does it.  

So I asked my friend if she would be willing to help me out with our Hand Made for the Holidays.

(secretly I really needed this tutorial so I can make one of my own)

She has been making these for a bit and I just love them.  Each one has its own personality and a little something special about it.  Any Granny would be Tickeled Pink to have this beauty to wear.  So here you go.. Click on the link and it will take you to a Google doc with step by step to make your own.

Silhouette Necklaces

Today's Tutorial is brought to you by Pick Your Plum. (If you want to check our Pick your Plum click on the link on the right.)  I love this company.  Awesome crafts supplies at half the price. They do an item a day for great prices.  I love getting up in the morning (7am MST) and seeing what's new. I am kind of an addict.  For 2 reasons: 

 1. I am a craft addict.  If I see something that is cute, easy, and my style I will buy it.  

2.  There prices are so good. I can't pass the up.  I love making crafts for a bargain.  

I have several Projects I have made with Pick Your Plum items and some just waiting to be used (Mostly cuz I loved the item and didn't have a purpose. Yet... But the price was so good!)

One of the items are these beautiful charms used in today's post. Here are a few others.
Hair Clips

Earrings

Vinyl
Chalkboard and Dry Erase Vinyl

I also have a  nice box  full of goodies I am still trying to decide what to do with.
(It was a Saturday special grab bag.  It was like getting an early Christmas. Yipee for me!)

Today's Giveaway is something special.  A little bit of everything. 
You get a set of 4 frames from this post.
2 pairs of paintable earrings
and
10 of the hair clips (shown above) to make your own creations.

To win this You have 3 chances:

1. Become a fan of Pick Your Plum on Facebook.

2. Sign up for there daily newsletter.

3. Become Follower or "Like" Freetime Frolics on FB. 

Easy. 3 chances to win.

Please leave a comment for each entry. Entries close on 26th. 

Home Made Holidays {Grandparents 2}

I decide that Even though the Necklaces are beautiful.  Grandpas are probably not that interested.  So I came up with this little beauty for him. 

I found these little frames at Michael's in the dollar section.

They started out looking like this. 

Not to bad.  The colors were simple and nice for Christmas.  But I need a little more flair so I did this.

Add  a little paint and a magnet on the back, a couple of Grandpas favorite kids and voila. A fun easy little gift Gramps will love.

Keep them on the fridge or these could also be great for an office space for any guy.

Check out today's give away on this post. 

It includes a set of these frames and a few more things.

  Don't for get to leave a comment to get entered.

Adrienne