Pinterest Projects: Colored Bath Ice and Shaving Cream Paint

It is a struggle to get Ava in the bath some nights, and with a newborn at home now, I have less time to deal with her lovely stall tactics. Bath toys don't entice her like they once did, so I scoured Pinterest for some fun bath activity ideas. These two were both huge hits!

First, we made colored ice cubes, which were so easy. You just have to put one or two drops of food coloring in each cube of water before freezing. I made a bunch and put the extras in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for future use. 

Ava loved chasing them around in the bathtub and watching them melt. They also made the bath water change color, which she thought was super cool. So simple and so fun!

As much as she loved the ice cubes, Ava enjoyed the shaving cream paint even more. And this activity was just as easy to prepare. 

I simply mixed the shaving cream and food coloring in silicone ice cube trays…

And Ava used a paint brush we had on hand (the foam kind might work better)... 

She did a little hand painting as well :). 

Ava was a very happy (and clean) little girl.

We will definitely be repeating both of these fun activities! 

Pinterest Project: DIY Hair Ties

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Pinterest...in fact, my love for the site borders a little on obsession. 

And, to me, the key to Pinterest not being too overwhelming or intimidating is only pinning recipes, crafts, and other projects that actually seem feasible. For example: these ridiculously adorable piñata cookies...not going to happen. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Unlike the piñata cookies, there are a bunch of easy projects to be found on Pinterest, including this simple tutorial for DIY hair ties. As she mentions in the post, these hair ties are everywhere. Several companies make them, and they are way too expensive for what they are. However, they are super cute, don't crimp your hair, and can be worn around your wrist for spontaneous ponytails. 

They are made from "fold over elastic," which I bought in several colors last summer at Michael's in order to make headbands for Ava. I haven't seen the elastic at Michael's during my last few visits, but you can buy it in a plethora of colors on Etsy and other online shops.

I cut mine in 10-inch strips, fold them in half, and then start the knot roughly in the middle. Then you can cut the excess at an angle, leaving however much you would like. Make sure to run a lighter over the edges like she explains in the tutorial, because this keeps them from fraying. 

After making some for myself a few months ago, I decided these would make a great DIY gift. So, I whipped up a few for Erin's birthday last weekend. 

I also thought it would be cute to make a card to put them on. Using some sparkly cardstock (because a little sparkle is always nice), I cut out three notches on each side to keep the hair ties in place. 

Then I wrote a little message on it and put on the hair ties. 

I was really happy with how it turned out. Super easy and super cute. 

To my friends and family who read this blog...act surprised if you get some as well :).