Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today is kind of chill in the Eat Real. Eat Local 30-Day Food Challenge universe. So, if you are thinking local, make some plans for a leisurely lunch or dinner at Anderton Bistro-Pub, The Great Escape, Bisque (I think we are headed that direction) or Locals.
A lovely meal is the perfect way to spend a rainy day.
Tomorrow, we are kicking off the NeighbourWood Eats events as part of the challenge out at Simms Park. Gather near the covered area for a local-food picnic lunch and then learn about local food from a creative perspective when kids get to spend some time crafting Local Food People (and eating them up afterward). NeighbourWood Eats runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Wednesday (with some time to cruise the Wednesday Farmers Market) and is a stampeable event.
So, mark it on the calendar and be sure to come and enjoy this fun, kid-friendly, hands-on local foodie experience
Speaking of hands-on foodie fun, I discovered a great way to make homemade stickers recently that we’ve been having tons of fun with. Check it out:
Stickers are a big thing in our house. They go on everything, are generally one of those art items that shows up in random locations like stuck to the rear of my pants on coating the back door.
They are fun, an admittedly easy distraction when more complicated projects would require more of my patience and the well runneth dry:).
But, I find myself full of sticker anxiety for a couple of reasons:
- You have to peel them off of any paper they go on in order to recycle said paper.
- They come in sheets of, like, one, are packaged heavily with stuff that just gets chucked in the trash
- They can get to be expensive
- They seem less creative than other art things because they’re premade, already have a design and pretty much take no effort at all (which can be a serious bonus too)
That doesn’t mean I won’t buy them. It just means I’ll grumble for a while until properly motivated to find an alternative.
I found that motivation a few weeks ago when we went looking for some learning gear about things you find on the dinner table and I realized that we had Chirp and National Geographic Kids magazines packed full of food pics that could be reused as some awesome stickers.
If only I had the skillz.
Apparently, the only skill you need to make stickers is the ability to open up a box of flavoured gelatin. That meant I was in.
Here’s what you need:
- Scissors
- Old Magazines
- A box of flavoured gelatin
- A plastic placemat as a workspace
- A small paint brush (like for watercolors)
- Wax paper
Directions:
1. Take scissors and cut out sticker-sized pictures, shapes, etc from magazines (we also cheated and used some scrapbooking characters that I had no idea what to do with)
2. Put about 3 TBSP of the gelatin in a bowl and mix with a a TBSP of hot water. Add a bit more water if the mixture needs it.
3. Start painting the backs of the pieces of paper. It’s going to be messy and sticky. But, hey, that’s why it’s fun.
4. Use a plastic place mat as a place for them to dry a bit (not too much though or they lose their stick. The sticker will tend to curl after putting the gelatin on them. But, no need to worry.
5. You have stickers. To store them, stick them to a piece of wax paper and when ready to use dampen them lightly with a sponge and stick away.
We’ve had so much fun with these.
The question of the day: What is your favourite food (or derrivative, like gelatin) for getting creative with – whether it’s in the kitchen, in the garden or at the craft table?
I’ve got some deliciously pretty note cards and recipe cards from French Notes for one random commenter.
Dawn won the Bambu Veneerware from yesterday’s giveaway.
This giveaway is closed. Rosalind won the lovely cards.
The Eat Real. Eat Local 30-Day Challenge is Brought to You By:
I just have to say this is such a cool craft project. Love it. Thank you.
I would have to say playdough. My kids can comfortably spend an hour or two sitting at the crafts table getting their little hands into the soft, squishy stuff. They love to make play food. When we get inspired we mix up a new batch, and the kids love to mix in their colour of choice. Sometimes we add flavoured juice crystals to give it a cool scent!
Flour!
So many uses: gloop, glues, doughs, writing in with fingers (same for cornmeal), pretending to be powder for toy baby bums.
I also have my own bread machine for when feeling too lazy to make it free form, so we always buy enormous bags of various flours – cost effective!
Kids get to understand the idea of multi-purpose and to think outside the box when it comes to art materials.
All around bonus. My only qualm is the use of food for play when there are people without food – so we include a lesson in social awareness and our good luck at the same time.
Can’t wait for tomorrow – wormy girl is looking forward to food art big time.
I used to make stickers as a kid by just swiping a glue stick over the back of my current creation and letting them dry, then lick and stick when I decided to use them (licking glue probably wasn’t the best way to go, but it worked)
I’m lovin cornstarch lately. Great for making that cornstarch goop that kids LOVE to play with and also great on babies bottoms during diaper changes.
I would have to say it’s popcorn. From Christmas garland, to packing breakables, not to mention all kinds of edible treats, popcorn has many uses in our house.
Flour is our biggest food based craft. I use it for play-dough, squeeze paint, glue, papier mache paste. A close second would be corn starch for watercolour paint, sidewalk paint, and slime.
I am another fan of cornstarch.
Both of our kids can spend tons of time playing with their cornstarch/water “gloop”, putting their toy animals in it, washing them of and doing it all over.
Love it
Re: editor’s note. We just drove all the way out to Cumberland to find out the Great Escape is closed Tuesdays.
what a great idea, since we are stuck in the middle of the rainy season, this is going on my boredom busting list.
hmm foody crafts -playdoh is also a biggy in our house but I also love eggs the obvious thing of decorating eggs, and there are about a squillion ways to do that and also using the egg shells for various projects. Plus you get to use the middle for kids cooking activities.
since i’m vegan, i’m wondering if this would work with agar agar instead of the gelatin? have to try it out. thanks for sharing by the way
i would have to say chocolate – i feel a lot more creative when consuming it!
Onions! or their skins to be precise. This is a link to my onion skin dye tutorial.
http://triskele-threads.blogspot.com/2009/05/natual-plant-dye-tutorial.html
School holidays here. I’m off to the dupermaket to get me some gelatin.
Question: Why flavoured gelatin? Wouldn’t unflavoured work just as well? Or is the sugar a requirement?
Also, especially if they’re flavoured, I reckon kids would prefer to ‘lick ‘n’ stick’, over using a wet sponge
Um… my favourite is… um… I actually have no idea. Perhaps gelatin is my new favourite!
Great idea and we will be trying this (Loads of magazines to try this on!!). Also, my fave kitchen ingredient is corn starch as well as salt. Salt to make pretty patterns in watercolor and corn starch (when I’m out of liquid starch) for sculpting projects w/ the kids
Very clever- alas my boys are too old to be willing to make these ( 17 & 14) and my nephews live too far away- I will send the link to my sister however!
I like to craft with Ice cream as in eat it while crafting!
I love to make my own glue for craft projects. Simply to make, easy to use. Earth friendly.
Hi Melanie,
There are lots of different versions of this one, many of which include unflavored gelatin or vegan options and a combination of other things. The sugar does make a difference in the sticky factor and we found that the flavored version works great and my kiddo, who at 4 still tends to put everything in her mouth, doesn’t end up with a mouth full of grossness in the process.
Thanks for jumping in!
I love working with peanut butter! I like making edible play dough, using it to clean stickers off of jars, get gum out of hair, and best of all using it in home made peanut butter cups!!
Awesome! I’ve never thought about making my own stickers, but what a great idea! I’m going to have to try it- thanks for posting how!
This is so cute!