Friday Faves: Gone Camping Ornaments D.I.Y.

We just returned from our annual family Christmas date with my favorite scene from the evening–these two flying through Costco aisles in their dynamic duo cart because Nella wanted to GO FAST.  Psst…Costco is really a playground; they just call it a store to keep the fun factor on the lowdown.

Friday Faves is really just a craft post today.  Because I had a dream last night about an imaginary campfire ornament, and I remembered what it looked while I was in the shower.  You can’t ignore dreams.  I’m so happy with how it turned out.  I think the dream was triggered by these foam marshmallows Lainey found in Joann’s a few weeks ago.  I’ve been obsessed with thinking of something to make with them ever since.

So….with no further ado.

GONE CAMPIN’ ORNAMENTS

A Campfire:

…and a S’more:

Want to make them?

Here’s what you’ll need.

Random FYI about what you’ll need:

* We found the foam marshmallows at Joann’s (in the aisle where all the foam stuff is…of course).
* For the felt, we used a textured gray, a stiff dark brown, and regular felt for the following: a graham-crackerish brown and three flame colors–red, goldenrod and yellow.
* You could probably find gray pebbles outside somewhere, but we found a bag of small pebbles at Joann’s. 
* We did find our sticks outside.
*  Not pictured: one large embroidery needle (with an eye big enough to thread fishing line).  The needle was using the bathroom while I took this picture.  Okay, I forgot to include it.

Okay.  Draw your glue gun.  Let’s go.

1.  Cut the cardboard into three shapes:  one circle for the base of your campfire and two matching squares for your s’more graham crackers.

2. Put the graham cracker squares aside. We’ll attack the campfire first. Using the circle campfire base as a guide, cut the gray felt into a matching circle that will be glued on top of the cardboard.

3. Dot some hot glue around cardboard circle and lay gray felt circle on top to cover it.

4. Now we’ll make a pebble edge around the campfire. Dot hot glue along the edge of the campfire circle and push pebbles in place as you glue.

5. Cut out your largest flame from the red felt.

6. Cut out two smaller flames from both the goldenrod and yellow felt (for front and back side). You should have one large red flame, two smaller goldenrod flames and 2 itty bitty yellow flames.

7. Layer goldenrod and yellow flames on each side of the red flame and glue in place.

8. Break up your sticks to make “logs” that will fit inside your campfire circle. Hot glue a log on either side of the base of the flame.

It should look like this when finished:

9. Dot glue generously in middle of campfire base and push flame with logs in place.

Once secure, you can layer and glue more sticks to add more logs.

10. Press a thin roasting stick into foam marshmallow. You may want to secure with hot glue.

11. Thread embroidery needle with a length of fishing line and poke through flame. This will allow you to hang your roasting stick “invisibly” and also to create a loop for twine to be used for a hanger.

12. Tie a knot with the fishing line about two inches up from the flame, place roasting stick above knot and tie another knot to secure roasting stick in place.

13. Leave a small length of fishing line above roasting stick and add a loop of twine and a bow to the top for hanging.

Cute, huh? I also took a lighter to the edge of the marshmallow to give it a roasted look, but I can’t guarantee the weird smell that emits from burning foam isn’t harmful to your health. Don’t inhale.

That was the hard ornament. The s’more? Easy, baby. Here we go.

S’MORE:

1. Using your cardboard squares as a guide, cut along the graham-cracker-brown felt to match matching squares.

2. Dab each cardboard square with glue and cover with graham cracker felt.

3. Cut the dark brown stiff felt to make a chocolate square for the middle (I made two, one for each side of the marshmallow)

4. Glue chocolate to inside of graham cracker square.

5. Dab glue to inside of chocolate/graham cracker where marshmallow puff ball will be placed.

6. Add white puff ball marshmallow.

7. Add more glue and sandwich marshmallow in between two graham cracker squares.

8. Optional: Detail top of graham cracker with a brown permanent marker.

9. Hot glue a loop of twine to top of s’more for hanging.

Now look at you, you Crafty Crafterson, you!  Put your glue gun back in your holster and pat yourself on the back.

I’m hoping that wasn’t confusing.

In case it was, I’m throwing in an extra gift. Hilarious stocking suggestions from Sponsor Blue Q. I’ve been on the Erase Your Past Gum for three months now, and you guys. It’s all good.

All the above found on BlueQ.com

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This week, I thought about all the lessons we teach our kids every day without even knowing it–all those things we say to our babies and toddlers like “Be Careful” and “Mama’s always here.” They’re big life lessons. And there are some important ones I want my kids to know. So I’m sharing What I Want My Kids to Know over at BabyZone this week.  I loved writing this one.

And I’m at All Parenting talking about Narrowing My Kids’ Choices (I give too many sometimes, and it causes frustration for all!)

Good night!  Hope you have some fun planned this weekend.