BATH TIME BLAST DIY
Anyone on your gift list who still thinks bath time is a drag will think differently when you give them this pail of DIY goodies! Here's a great idea to make and give (or keep!) from the cool new book "My DIY" by Kim Potts.
Materials:
- A plastic pail and shovel, the kind you take to the beach (a great 99 cent store find, and also available at any toy store, home improvement store or discount retailer)
- 5-6 sheets craft foam, any thickness, various colors (available at any craft store, in fun pastel and bright colors)
- 2 cups pure soap flakes (available at craft stores, or in larger supermarkets. You can also make your own flakes by grating a bar of pure soap, like Ivory)
- Food coloring, several colors
- 1/4 cup warm water
- Measuring cup
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Scissors
- Cookie cutters
- An ice cube tray or candy molds
- Paint, waterproof stickers or plastic magnetic letters
- Strong (waterproof) glue or hot glue gun
DIY Step-By-Step:
- Using the magnetic letters, spell out the recipient's name, and glue them to the bucket. If you don't have the letters, use paint to draw the name on the bucket.
- Using the sheets of craft foam, cut out various shapes and sizes. Use cookie cutters to draw shapes in pencil and then cut them out. Also use stencils, round glasses for circles, or draw freehand shapes like stars, diamonds, horseshoes, hearts, letters and numbers, and cut them out. These cool, fun foam toys will float in the bathtub, and will stick to the tub when wet!
- Make soap crayons, which are washable and safe for "writing" on the tub and the tiles beside the tub. Mix 2 cups of the soap flakes in a bowl with 4 tablespoons of warm water, and stir until it forms a soap paste. It may require quite a bit of stirring, because the paste will be very thick. If you want to make several different colors of soap crayons, divide the soap paste into several smaller bowls and put a drop or two of food coloring into each one.
- Pour the soap paste into soap molds or into the squares of an ice cube tray. Let them sit in a cool, dry place for at least 48 hours, then pop them out and they're ready to use!
- Pack the foam shapes and soap crayons into the personalized bucket, along with the shovel, wrap it in plastic wrap or colorful tissue paper, and tie it with a big ribbon!
Extra touches: Make a batch of Banana Bread Bathballs or Bubblin' Bath Jam and include them in the Bathtime Blast Bucket! Other ideas: include small bouncy balls, a small boat, a brightly colored wash cloth or bath mitt, or some aquatic-themed edible goodies, like gummi fish, Goldfish crackers or gummi worms.
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