A set of seashell wind chimes is a great reminder of a summer vacation at the shore. Kids and adults love to collect shells, and here’s something creative to do with them!

Supplies Needed:
Whole Seashells (get more than you think you’ll need, because a few may break)
Clear plastic thread (fishing line)
A Phillips-head screwdriver or any tool with a point
Scissors
Sharpie
Something to hang your shells from, like a curved branch or a short wooden dowel

Directions:
1. PREPARE THE SHELL: Wash them! Clean out the sand, the bits of seaweed, whatever debris is stuck to the shell.
2. MAKE THE HOLES: Pick the spot you want the hole to be. You will need one hole at the top of the shell and one hole at the bottom. — mark it with a pen or marker if you need to. Using a twisting motion, bore a hole in the shell. Some shells are thicker than others; don’t use too much pressure or the shell can shatter.
3. STRING THE SHELLS: Measure out the string at desired length. Using plastic thread, thread shells by threading through both holes on each shell and tieing off securely before going on to the next shell. Leave enough string at the top to make a big loop that will be the “hook” to hang on the branch/dowel.
4. HANG THE SHELLS: Using loop on top of the sting of hanging shells, loop around branch/dowel.

Optional: Decorate Shells with stickers, markers, photos, colored sand, glitters, etc..

Click on the title to see full post and directions

Homeade Bubbles

Sponge Balls

Watermelon Slice Pops

Beach Sandcasting

Create an At Home Flower Press

{Click on the title to see the full recipie}

Roasted Tomato and Creamy Goat Cheese Tart

Oven Roasted Plum Tomatoes

Heirloom Tomato Salad

Tomato Spinach Salsa

Spicy Pickled Green Tomatoes

Eggplant, Tomato, & Mozzarella Stack

Tuscan Stuffed Tomatoes

Greek Tomato and Feta Fritters

Herbed Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad

Cucumber-Tomato Bruschetta

Check out http://www.foodcartsportland.com/ for a practical guide where to find funky food carts in Portland and what to eat when you get there. They also have a map of carts all around town and write mini review posts regularly about feautured carts with menus, hours, and directions!

Thumbs up to these guys rockin’ up good food all year round, especially when its 90+ degrees outside! With high Portland temps in August, it is at least 20 degrees warmer in the carts!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The Grilled Cheese Grill (gourmet grilled cheese for grown-ups & kids)

Sugar Cube (desserts,drinks,cupcakes)

Garden State (Italian street food in the Northwest)

[Click the titles below to see full recipe]

Mint Margarita

Sparkling Sangria

Watermelon Mango Martini

Basil Lemonaide

Bloody Mary Punch

Cran Tea Cocktail

We rented a tent site in the campground overlooking the 9 mile long lake. The campground was full with residents all nights with busy RV’s and boat commuters going on and off the lake throughout the day. Jeff and I dont own a boat or water crafts, but we spent our days sitting on the dock of the lake watching others come and go as if it were a parade. Jeff brought his fishing pole and took that out for a few reels but with no luck there wasn’t a single bite.

My school/work schedule is changing a quite a bit now that I will be schooling on Saturdays, so we are not sure if we are going back next year or not but definitely want to. Detroit Lake was such a mini community! There were quite a few of Park Host residents and season “die hards” who live on the campground site in their elaborate RV’s and take very good care of the grounds and facilities, they even yelled out “Come Back Next Year” when we left early this morning. I thought that was too cute, all of them must be over 70 years old but still truck around everyday in their mini golf carts to pick up trash and chit chat with campers. Each morning Jeff and I would walk up to the visitor center to pick up a complementary cup of coffee and be greeter by an old married couple who would run the cashier and spout off information about the weather or what was going on for the day. At night we would walk to the shed to get ice and firewood for the night it was the same two old men sitting in their lounge chairs collecting money and giving smiles to passerbys.

My most favorite time camping was sitting around the campfire at night laughing about life stories and memories we forgot. It was really nice to reconnect with each other despite of all the changes happening between us with me changing careers and schools, and Jeff starting a new job away from home and going to school full time. We love eachother’s company more and more each day, I was so glad to share a mini trip camping with Jeff and learning again how much we love each other.

{CLICK HERE} to view a sideshow of our camping pictures!

Supplies:

• Shoebox
• Paints, marking pens, stickers and other supplies for decorating
• Glue
• Pencil (for poking holes)
• School Supplies

Directions:

1. Help your preschooler paint the outside of the box, both the lid and the bottom. Let it dry.

2. Let your preschooler decorate the box however he/she would like. Use markers, stickers, glue on sequins, etc.

3. This step is for the parent. Carefully poke holes in the lid of the shoebox with the pencil. These holes will later hold pens, pencils, and crayons.

4. Fill with school supplies.

I shall return will lots of pictures!!!

I hope all of you are enjoying the last weeks of summer! Back to school is soon for kiddos (and me too!) so have fun and be safe in whatever you do!

Please take time to vote below and TELL US what your Labor Day plans are for 2009!?

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Supplies:

2 coordinating fabrics
1 strip of fusible interfacing (I used Pellon 809 DecorBond)
1 purse strap clip (I found mine at JoAnn’s Crafts)
4 inches ribbon (mine was 7/8 inch width)
matching thread

Directions:

1. First, cut your fabric so that you have a strip of each material that measures 2.75 (2 and 3/4) inches by 11 inches. Cut 1 strip of your fusible interfacing to measure 1 inch by 10.5 inches.

2. Iron both strips of coordinating fabrics a 1/4 of an inch down both sides with the right-side of the fabric facedown on your ironing board. I use a piece of cardstock paper to fold the material over to give me a nice even hem line.

3. When both fabrics have been ironed, fold the material in half length-wise and iron. Be careful to match the edges up nicely.

4.. Take your strip of fusible interfacing and place it evenly between your two coordinating fabrics. I make sure the folds of each ironed fabric are on opposite sides.

5. Iron these together. This will temporarily fuse the top and bottom materials together so they are easier to sew, and will make your key chain a little sturdier.

6. Now sew along both edges of the key chain. I sewed mine fairly close to the edge which was about an 1/8 inch seam.

7. Now, take your purse clip and slide it onto the key chain. Be sure that the clip is on top of the material you want to be on the outside of your key chain. Place the two raw edges so that one is overlapping the other one about 1/4 of an inch (or to the fusible interfacing).

8. Sew these together using a zig-zag stitch several times back and forth so that it does not come apart.

9. Take your strip of 4 inch ribbon and burn the edges with a lighter or a match to seal it so they do not unravel. Do this very carefully! Move the purse clip around the key chain until the seam is about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch above the clip. Take the ribbon and wrap it around the area where the two ends have been sewn together. Tuck both ends of the ribbon to the inside of the key chain.

10. Pin in place and sew the top and bottom of the ribbon. I changed my thread color so it matched the ribbon and was less noticeable. Remember to reinforce your seam. I went over it twice so it will hold up.

For the original written tutorial post on how to make mini stepping stones visit {HERE} for full written directions and supplies.

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