Water Candles

Find a pretty glass jar. It can be as simple as reusing a food jar or you could purchase one from the store.

Decorate the base of the jar. Add such items as sand, glass pebbles, mini plastic toys, faux gems or anything else you find pretty and that can cope with getting wet.

Add water. When adding the water, only turn on the tap low; that way, you won't spoil the decorations or wash them out of place. Or, use a pitcher or jug and pour slowly.

Squeeze a layer of vegetable oil on top of the water. Add enough to cover the top completely.

Find a piece of wick one inch or 2.5 cm in thickness.

Cut the Vacuform tray to fit the width of the jar.

Stick the wick into the hole in the Vacuform tray, with the domes of the tray facing up.

Make sure that no more than 3 mm of the wick goes through the bottom of the vacuform tray.

Set the Vacuform tray with the wick over the oil into the jar. The wick should not extend into the water. (Manipulate the decorations to help support the Vacuform tray up higher.)

Finished. Light your water candle and enjoy its ethereal glow.


*This candle should not be moved once lit, owing to the hot oil. Therefore, light it where you expect to leave it.*

Fairies in a Jar

You'll Need:

-a glowstick (non-toxic is best)
-a mason jar or other lidded container
-some glitter of any color

Cut one end of a glowstick over the jar.

Empty the contents of the glowstick into the jar.

Sprinkle in some glitter.

Screw or clip the lid back on.

Make the "fairies" appear by shaking the jar.

The fairy effect lasts for as long as the glowstick would normally last. This should be at least a few hours.

Have children shake the jars whenever they want the best effect.


*Alternate Method*

Purchase a glass fairy from a craft store or a store where garden ornament are sold

Decorate the bottom of the jar with large stones, moss and leaves.

Hot glue the fairy to a piece of moss or a stone so that in the event of an accidental dropping, the fairy will stay put.

To make a glowing effect at nighttime, you can pour a ring of glowstick around the fairy. This effect works especially if the fairy looks like it's praying or sleeping.

Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

To make your own environmentally friendly laundry detergent you first need to decide if you prefer liquid or powder detergent.

Liquid detergent is easy to customize; you can include essential oils to give it the scent you love most. Powder detergent is easier to make, as it doesn’t involve using the stove, and easier to store, as you can put it in any box and don’t need a leak-proof jug or bucket.

Assemble your supplies and ingredients and start soaping!

Rainbow Crayons

Gather together a rainbow of crayons. This is a great way to dispose of many broken or almost-finished ones sitting at the bottom of the toy chest.

Heat the oven to 350ºF/ 180ºC.

Remove the paper from the crayons. Break up all of the crayons into small pieces if they're not already small. You can also shave them with an old cheese grater for a finer consistency.

Place the pieces into cupcake holders.

Place the filled cupcake holders on a pan. Put in the oven.

Remove using oven mitts when the crayons are completely melted. This will take around 2 - 6 minutes, depending on the melted consistency you're after; keep an eye on them.

Let them cool for approximately 30 minutes. Once cooled, remove from the cupcake holder; they're now ready for reuse.

Origami Diary

Want to write down your private thoughts, but journals are too obvious, and you're scared your family will read them? Start a new "hobby" so they'll never suspect!

Materials

Origami paper, pen, origami instructions

Instructions

1. Write your diary on the origami paper.

2. Fold the paper according to the instructions in the book.