Travel Tic Tac Toe

Original DIY Tic Tac Toe travel game board from the 1990's

I loved this DIY Tic Tac Toe traveling game so much as a child that I still have the original game that I made.  It's super easy to make for your child and even with your child that you may feel brave enough to have a large group of kiddos over to instruct.  Adult Child Group Fun!  a.k.a. birthday parties, project parties, rainy days, etc.  The best part... The game board and playing pieces are made out of felt so that when playing in the car, the pieces are not lost. So clever.

I think I was about 6 to 8 years old, so I believe it was my awesome Sunday School teacher Denise Kistner who instructed our class to make this project.  I don't want to leave out Connie Hester either...just in case it may have been her as she was another one of my awesome Sunday School teachers.  Kudos!

Make it yourself using the instructions below.

The felt pieces don't fall off when tipped over

Write the kid's name and a message of your choice

Materials Needed:

• Felt, 4 different colors
• Pinking Shears
• Foam Core Board
• Glue
• A Permanent Marker
• Gallon Size Zipper Bag

Instructions:

• Measure the foam core board to 8 inches by 8 inches and cut.
• Write a message on the back on the side you have determined to be the back of the board.
• Measure felt color #1 and cut with the pinking shears. Approximately 8 inches by 8 inches (make sure it's large enough to cover the board!).  Once cut, glue this to the foam board.  Gluing it now will allow it to have some time to set prior to adding the next layer.
• Measure strips from felt color #2 and cut using the pinking shears. Approximately 1/2 inch by 8 inches.  Not too thick, not too thin.  If the fabric is cut with the pinking shear points lined up then the width may go a little over a half inch, that is okay.  Make 4 of these.
• Measure rectangles from felt color #3 and cut using the pinking shears.  Aproximately 1 inch by 1 3/4 inch.  Again this is approximate, the main point to remember is to make sure the pieces are large enough for hands to pick up easily but small enough for them to fit inside the tic tac toe boxes. Make 5 of these and perhaps one back up if you'd like.
• Measure circles from felt color #4 and cut using the pinking shears. Approximately 1 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch.  Again this is approximate, the main point to remember is to make sure the pieces are large enough for hands to pick up easily but small enough for them to fit inside the tic tac toe boxes.  Make 5 of these and perhaps one back up if you'd like.
• Glue the measured strips that you cut from felt color #2 to the felt covered foam board, using the lattice style method.
• Do NOT put your foam rectangles/circles on the foam board until you know the board has completely dried.  You wouldn't want to accidentally glue pieces to the board making them permanently unplayable, would you?
• When complete, store in a zipper bag and keep it in the family car.

With Angela O'

Make at least 5 pieces each shape

BAG IT AND STICK IT! in the car

New York City Party

Earlier this year I organized a New York City themed party for a high school Post Prom (after prom) event.  I ordered cardboard stand-ups online and made a few other decorations.  The food bar included popcorn with a 1920's styled machine, bagel bites (NYC Pizza), hotdogs (Coney Island), Pretzels, Apples and Jelly Beans.  Ice cream bars were part of the plan but we decided to avoid the mess and served a tray of cookies instead.  I handmade man holes by using aluminum foil, cardboard, glue, paint, foam alphabet stickers and $1.00 round pizza pans from the Dollar Tree.  One activity that was planned was New York City trivia.  After a long search I determined that I could not find a satisfactory trivia game for NYC so I decided to make one and today I am sharing it with you. 

~ With Angela O'

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NYC Tourist Photo Center

NYC Decorations

NYC Decorations

NYC Food Carts

Pizza, Popcorn, Pretzels, Bagels, Giant Pickles, and Other Cart Goodies

Old Fashioned Popcorn Machine

NYC Mocktails for Underage Guests

A Bit of Breakfast for Morning Survivors

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Manholes:

Completed Manhole. (See larger photo at end of this blog post)

$1.00 Pizza Pan from Dollar Tree

Cut cardboard pieces glued on to pan.  Foam Alphabet Stickers.

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Cash Cab Trivia:

1.  What supernatural action movie from the 1980’s starring Bill Murray filmed a scene inside the New York Public Library?

A: Ghostbusters

2.  Name three famous talk shows based in NYC?

A: The Tonight Show, Jimmy Fallon, Late Night, The Today Show, 

Rachel Ray, The Colbert Report, Good Morning America

Late Show, The People’s Court

3.  What actress is famous for her little black dress, black gloves, sunglasses, and her up-do when she walks up to Tiffany & Co. with a pastry in her hand?

A: Audrey Hepburn

 4.  Name the four female characters of Sex and the City?

A: Carrie Bradshaw

Charlotte York

Miranda Hobbes

Samantha Jones

5.  Name three epic film couples of New York City.

A: Carrie Bradshaw & Big – S&TC

Chuck Bass & Blair Waldorf – Gossip Girl

Ross Gellar & Rachel Green – Friends

Maria & Alan – Sesame Street

Peter Park & Mary Jane Watson – Spider Man

Jay Gatsby & Daisy Buchannan – The Great Gatsby

6.  What show holds the record for the longest-run in the history of Broadway?

A: Cats

7,  List two old-timer shows that were set in New York.

A: I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Welcome Back, Kotter

Different Strokes, Bewitched, Family Affair

All in the Family, The Cosby Show

8.  What was/is the tallest building in Manhattan?

A: One World Trade Center

9.  What are the names of the pizza-loving, crime-fighting, skateboarding turtles that reside in the sewers of NYC?

A: Leonardo, Michaelangelo

Donatello, Raphael

 10.  What show is famous for their deliveryman who drives a brown truck dropping off packages before coming home to his wife in Queens?

A: The King of Queens

11.  What show about nothing was filmed and takes place in NYC?

A: Seinfeld

12.  Which animated tv show that takes place in the year 3000 (aka the 31^st century) takes place in New York? 

A: Futurama

13.  Who plays Doug Heffernan in The King of Queens?  He also played in Grown Ups and Mall Cop.

A: Kevin James

 14.  In what community does Peter Parker live with his Aunt May?

A: Forest Hills, Queens NY

15.  What currently aired television series takes place in NYC during the 1950’s through the 1970’s?

A: Mad Men

 16.  What is NYC’s nick name?

A: The Big Apple

17.  What movie took place in New York during the Revolutionary War era? Hint: It starred Johnny Depp

A: Sleepy Hollow 

 18.  List how many and name the professional football teams in the state of New York.

A: NY Giants

NY Jets

Buffalo Bills

19.  Who is the biggest rival team of the New York Yankees?

A: Boston Red Sox

 20.  Name the two baseball teams in NY.

A: NY Mets, NY Yankees

21.  What is the name that is collectively used for the 5 communities that make up New York City?

A: The Boroughs

 22.  What are the five boroughs of NYC?

A: Manhattan, The Bronx

Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island

23.  What NYC baseball team did Jackie Robinson play for in the late 1940’s to mid 1950’s?

A: The Brooklyn Dodgers

24.  How I Met Your __________ takes place in NYC with the architect named Ted and the Canadian news anchor named Robin?

A: How I Met Your "Mother"

25.  What foods are NYC most known for?

A: Bagels & Pizza

26.  The famous movie featuring Macy’s and the Macy’s Parade during the Christmas season, took place on what street?

Hint: Miracle on ______ Street

A: 34th

27.  What movie starred Audrey Hepburn at a now extremely famous jeweler in 1961?

A: Breakfast at Tiffany’s

 28.  What large animal is legend to live in the sewers of Manhattan?

Hint: Because people would flush these down the toilet as baby pets

A: Crocodiles

29.  Who directed The Godfather?

A: Francis Ford Coppola

 30. Who played the Don in The Godfather?

A: Marlen Brando

31.  Who played Michael Corleone in The Godfather?

A: Al Pacino

32.  Home Alone 2 is _______ in New York.

A: Lost

33.  This Real Estate Tycoon is famous for his tagline “You’re Fired” on The Apprentice.

A: Donald Trump

 34.  What NBA team does Jay-Z partially own?

A: The Brooklyn Nets

35.  Name three films that New York City is devastated?

A: King Kong, Independence Day, Planet of the Apes,

Armageddon, End of the World, Godzilla,

        Ghostbusters, The Day After Tomorrow,

War of the Worlds, I am Legend, Cloverfield

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Zoomed View of Manhole.  Finished by covering with aluminum foil, pressed and then grey paint.

Sticker Storage

I'll admit I am sticker crazy.  I loved to put stickers all over snail mail as a young child and still do!  But there was also a time when I was an extreme scrapbooker which required a ridiculous amount, more of an over-abundance of stickers.  After 15 solid years of hardcore scrapbooking I got burned out and I demoted myself to paper-crafting only.  Literally fifteen years of scrapbooking, from 15 years old to 30 years old, from 1998 to 2013.  During that time, I created a divided sticker box to control the clutter and to make them easy to find.  

 No longer do I own this box but I wanted to share with you a great way to organize your stickers.  This is perfect for anyone who owns stickers, not just scrapbook and paper-craft hobbyists.  We are all too well aware of how sheets of stickers can become overwhelming to take care of.

**Disclaimer** This is not my best work.  I created the box years ago with whatever I had lying around the house and did not use exact measurements.  Please excuse the sloppiness.

Materials Needed:

Large storage box 

Poster board

Pencil or Pen

Self-Adhesive Tabs

Ultra Fine Sharpie

Staples
Stapler

Titles to List on Tabs:

Letters

Words

Phrases

Quotes/Sayings

Celebrate/Party

Seasons

Holidays

Travel

Family

Animals/Pets

Food

School/Education

Wedding/Religious

Flowers/Nature

Hearts/Romance

Fashion

Vellum 

Borders/Designs

Congratulatory

"Licensed" (for things like Major League Baseball or Disney)



Instructions:

1. Measure the poster board down to whatever size you need to fit inside your box.  Make sure you have cut enough for all of your categories.

2.  Hand write or type the categories for your tabs.

3.  Attach the tabs with staggered positioning so that they are easy read.

4. You may need to reinforce the tabs with staples.

Tips:

• Use a fun fabric covered storage box.  These are easily found for a low price at stores like Home Goods, Marshalls, and T.J. Maxx.  
• Create as many tabs as necessary for your collection.  Everyone's is different.
• Putting all vellum embellishing sheets in one tab makes it easier than several separate tabs for pictures or sayings.  Unless you are making a separate box just for vellum.
• "Licensed" would be for various stickers like Major League Baseball or Disney.
• Label the outside of the box as "Stickers" for easy access.

Fabric box with fabric lid

Various titles are labeled and staggered.

All Vellum in one area

Due to tabs not adhering well, I stapled them in place

~With Angela O'

DIY Glam Pinatas

Friend and Blog Guest Jenna Holtschulte whipped up these cute pinatas for her sweet baby Micah's first birthday. Super easy to make but the her only requirement: Just make sure you have a little extra time on your hands the day you take on the task. Jenna made this from 100% scratch! However, if you are short for time then you could go to Jo-Ann Fabrics and stock up on the premade paper kraft letters for about $2-$3 each.

The Letters:

Scrap Cardboard Boxes

Pencil

Exacto Knife

Brown Packing Tape

The Fringe:

Glue

Scissors

Tissue Paper

Tacky Glue Pens

This pinata is perfect to hang over the dining room table

The Finishing Touches:  Micah' Gold Bow, Micah is One Cake Topper, The Pom Garland

Pressed Pennies Tastefully Secured

Do you know all those pressed penny machines that people get suckered in to using while they are visiting a tourist attraction?  They are everywhere...Disney, Universal, zoos, aquariums, skyscrapers, some gas stations.  You know?  The ones that you had so much fun as a kid making and your parent couldn't say no because it was the one souvenir that was actually affordable. Fifty-one cents. Two quarters and a penny.  Hopefully you had a shiny penny.

Well, I have a lot of pennies from when I was younger and I really enjoy the memories for each one.  During the first few years of my marriage we were on an extremely tight budget.  If we ever visited a tourist location the trinket that we knew we could afford (and too avoid bringing home excessive junk) were the pressed pennies.  As silly as they were we are delighted to look back at them.  

At home and in the workplace I love having everything exactly in its place.  I do not like junk everywhere but junk itself can be okay if setup tastefully.  I have never had a nice way to store the pressed pennies and I never liked anyone's suggestions.  Even the little penny books sold in the tourist retail stores were out of the question for me.  So for a long time they sat in a photo box on our bookshelf.  Well, eureka!  I happened to come across some heavyweight page protectors that were made for slides and they measured at 2"x2" and were three-hole-punched.  The accessibility to use binders for keepsakes are very important for me. All of my albums have been transferred to cloth D-ring binders by American Crafts.

Materials:

• Scrapbook Paper
• Small Labels
• Acid-Free Marker or Pen
• Glue Dots, the larger size
• 2"x 2" Slide-style Sheet Protectors, sized for 3-ring binders
• Scissors or Fiskers Photo Cutter
• 3-Ring Photo Album or Binder

Instructions:

Measure the paper down to the size of the protected pocket and cut into the 2"x 2" squares.  Write a description on the label and attach it to the cut paper.  Then secure the penny to the cut paper by using a glue dot.  Super easy and very quick.

This is also a great craft project for kids who collect their pennies!

Angela O'

Girlie Girls & Hair Bows

Hair Bows that are super easy to make!  Most of the materials you probably already in your home.  My now Arizona-based friend Michelle Pettit and I got together one night to make these for a private elementary school's fundraiser.  It was so much fun!  

A sampling of the creations are below.  We did this last October so you will notice that the holidays are making an appearance in a couple of the designs.

Materials Needed: Ribbon, Hot Glue & Hot Glue Gun, Barrettes, and Embellishments

Created by Michelle Pettit

Created by Angela O'

Created by Angela O'

Created by Angela O'

Created by Michelle Pettit

Created by Angela O'

Created by Angela O'

Created by Michelle Pettit

Created by Michelle Pettit

Kick the Bore out of Fundraising

Try adding some creative flair to boring old fundraising.  Here are a few loose change buckets that I created for Coin Campaigns.  The painter style bucket with the bright ribbons and flowers was created Spring of 2013 and the jars with rhinestones were created Spring 2012 using empty OJ bottles, sequins and rhinestones.  Now we have a reason to keep the awesome looking Simply Orange bottles when they are empty without earning the title of hoarder.  Problem Solved.  Since I introduced these awesome jars into our community some of the local fundraising groups have now picked up their gamem I never see boring coffee cans at the cashier's counter anymore.

The group that is fundraising in these photos is Team MorGame for JDRF.  JDRF is a national organization that seeks the cure for Type 1 diabetes.