Remove cap from ornament. Pour first color of paint into ornament; rotate to swirl paint. Place ornament upside down on the cup; allow any excess paint to flow out.

Repeat for each remaining color of paint. After you have allowed the excess paint to flow out turn ornament right side up and allow to dry. Paint colors will continue to mix together during the drying process. Use additional coats of paint as necessary for opaque appearance.

Replace cap on ornament. Insert cording or ribbon through wire loop in cap; knot ends. Make a bow from ribbon and secure to top of ornament using glue.

To start, lay the fabric strip right side up on a smooth working surface, so that the long edges are at the top and bottom. Apply a line of hot glue (a parent's job) along the upper edge of the material. Let the glue cool for a few seconds, then fold the fabric in half, pressing the lower edge of the strip onto the glued edge. You should end up with a cloth tube.

Once the glue is dry, turn the tube right side out by inserting two fingers into one end, pinching some of the fabric, and pulling it through. Do this repeatedly until the entire tube is turned out. (It is easier for me to do by taking the pin and putting it on one edge of the pin and then guiding the pin inside the material and out the other end which automatically turns it).

Next, attach a safety pin to each end of the elastic and thread the elastic through the center of the fabric (to make this easier, your child can tape one of the pins to the end of a pencil and then pull the material down over the pencil). Once the elastic is threaded through, join the ends by clipping the two safety pins together. Then, wrap tape around the pins to keep them from opening. (Mom could also hand stitch the ends together and you don't have to worry about the pin).

To complete the hair tie, pull one open end of the fabric tube over the other end (they should overlap about an inch) and glue the loop closed. Adjust the fabric so that the gathered material is evenly distributed around the circle, and the scrunchie is ready to wear.

A SURVIVAL KIT FOR EVERY DAY LIFE

This is very nice to give to someone just to remind us that we are all human and to take one day at a time! Some people put these in the small lunchbags but I think it is especially nice if you get a little gift box, (you can put their name on the outside of the box , write their name in calligraphy, or just tissue or napkin decopauge the box to personalize it to the person you are giving it to) and put the items inside on tissue paper or cotton batting.

Examples:

If the person is a gardener, put some pretty tissue flower napkins, or flower pictures on the box. (Decopauge)

If the person loves country stuff, decoupage country stuff on the box, or write their name on it in big letters with dip dots.

If the person loves angels, decoupage angels on the box.

What you put inside is:

1. TOOTHPICK...to remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone, including yourself.

2. RUBBERBAND...to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.

3. BAND-AID...to remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

4. ERASER...to remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors.

5. CANDY KISS...to remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment every day.

6. MINT...to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family.

7. BUBBLE GUM...to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

8. PENCIL...to remind you to list your blessings every day.

9. TEA BAG...to remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of blessings. This is what makes life worth living every minute, every day.

PINE CONE FIRE STARTERS

These are great gifts for people with fireplaces. If you are giving as a gift, you could also buy a box of fireplace matches to go with them. This makes an especially attractive gift if put in a basket decorated with red and green tissue paper and some pine boughs.

All you need is a block of paraffin! You can also use your old candle stubs if you don't have a block of paraffin (found at the grocery store in canning supplies). If you are using paraffin and want to color it, you can buy the candle coloring at a craft store, or Wal-mart also sells candle supplies, (The big fat candles that you can buy for $1.00 and are already colored are great). I have also heard of using broken crayons, but I have not used them, so I don't know how they would work. It seems like they would, but I am not recommending it. If anyone has used them and they worked good, please let me know!

You can also scent them by adding essential oils (also found in candlemaking or potpourrie making supplies). If you choose to scent them, (the big fat $1.00 candles are also already scented), you you really should use essential oils, that is what is always recommended.

Making the firestarters must be done in a double boiler. If you don't have one, a large coffee can works great and can be thrown away after you're done, and leaves no messy pot to have to try to get the wax out of! Just set the coffee can inside a larger pot filled with water and you have an instant double boiler. Take the largest pine cone you have and mark it's height on the outside of the coffee can, (you should mark an inch above that just to be on the safe side). Add the broken pieces of parrafin or candles to the coffee can and let it melt on low or medium heat until the melted wax reaches the mark on the outside of the coffee can. (Did I mention if you are using really big pine cones, it can take alot of wax?)

Tie a string around a few of the pinecone scales. Holding the string slowly dip the pinecone into the liquid wax completely coating it. Some people use tongs instead of the string, but it will leave a small tong indentation. Remove the pinecone and hold it over the can until it stops dripping then place it on wax paper and allow to harden. If you have used the essential oil, please be sure to lay the pinecone on waxcovered glass, or magazines, or boards, or something hard, as the hot essential oil can damage the finish on wood furniture.

To use just place the pine cone on top of the kindling and light the edge of one of the pinecone scales. Sit back, watch the fire glowing and enjoy!!

Pinecone Christmas Trees After making the pinecone firestarters, if you have pinecones left over you can always make the pinecone Christmas trees!

Just spray paint the pine cones green, (for a country look lightly mist leaving some of the natural pine cone show through) and add little dots of glitter paint here and there to resemble Christmas balls. These can either sit on a table or tie a pretty ribbon at the top to hang.

Another way to do them is to not paint them, but leave them natural and just outline the outside edges of the pinecone with gold glitter paint. You can tie a little gold ribbon bow at the top to hang.

Pinecone Bird Feeders
Tie a heavy gauge string around the top of the pinecone. Cover the pinecone with peanut butter, then roll it in birdseed, hang outside and you have an instant birdfeeder! This can also be done on toilet tissue or paper towel rolls. Have fun watching all the birds!!!!

Homemade Bird Suet
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup Crisco shortening (or cheap generic kind)
1 cup flour
4 cups cornmeal

Mix well. You can roll this out and cut out with cookie cutters in the shape of stars, hearts, snowmen, santas, etc, punch a hole in top, tie ribbon or string and hang outside and watch the birds eat the Christmas decorations.