Paper Lanterns {July 4th}

July 4th is just around the corner!  

Here is a simple craft for the kiddos of all ages!

MATERIALS

Red, white and blue construction paper

Scissors

Pencil

Ruler

Stapler or tape

Star stickers

Washi tape

Red, white and blue ribbon

DIRECTIONS

First, fold your paper in half lengthwise

Starting at the fold, draw straight lines starting .75 inch from the edge. 

Stop the line 1 inch from the top.

Have your child cut the lines

Roll the paper into a cylinder to form a lantern shape and tape or staple the ends together.

Have your children decorate the lantern with star stickers.

Attach some coordinating washi tape to the top and bottom of each lantern.

Thread red, white and blue ribbon through the slits to form a banner and hang!

How are you decorating for July 4th?

Fabulous Friday {32}

Happy Friday!!!

Is everyone gearing up for the 4th?  My kids and I hit the craft store today to get stocked up!  I've also found some yummy treats to make for them as well.

Let's get straight to the party, shall we?

Take a look at these Fabulous Features from last week!


The link with the most views was the Firecracker Rag Wreath from Create.Craft.Love.  This really gets me into the July 4th spirit!

This outdoor bar from Turtles and Tails looks amazing!  I'm wondering if I can stop by for a drink sometime :)

I love the color scheme of this beachy mantel from Craftiments.  

I love anything made from pallets and this flag art from Mom 4 Real is fantastic!

Please grab a button from my sidebar if you were featured today!

I've pinned all these features to my Fabulous Friday pinterest board.

On to this week's par-tay...

1. Please become a follower of my blog if you would like to link up.

2. Feel free to link up as many projects as you like but please link to your specific post and not your entire blog.

3. Please no linking to Etsy shops, giveaways or businesses.

4. Visit at least 2 links and leave some comments.  Everyone wants to feel loved!

5. Please link back to my blog using either a text link or my button.

Sponsor Spotlight: Create.Craft.Love

Today we are getting to know a little bit about my sponsor, Jill, from Create.Craft.Love.  Jill previously posted a tutorial for an adorable sunglasses case on my blog.

Take it away, Jill..............

Hello Here Comes the Sun readers!  I'm Jill and I have a little blog called Create.Craft.Love. 

A little about me...I grew up in Central Illinois and then moved to Missouri after I graduated from college.  I have my Bachelor's and Master's in Nursing.  My husband and I met at the hospital (as co-workers, not patients).  We have been together for the better part of a decade now and have a beautiful little boy who is my reason for existing.

Crafting has been a hobby of mine since I can remember.  My mom taught me how to cross stitch when I was little and my grandma taught me to use a sewing machine.  My creativity continued to blossom in college when I joined my sorority (any other sorority girls will confirm this as fact).  I love making stuff for people and seeing the excitement in their eyes when they receive a handmade gift.


I started Create.Craft.Love. as part of my New Year's resolution.  Originally, I was only going to do a post a week.  However, as most bloggers know, it's kind of addicting and I'm already up to over 100 posts! Crazy, huh?  This is my creative outlet and hopefully somewhere you can find inspiration too!  Stop by and let's be friends!

Thanks so much Jill for being a sponsor this month.  If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of Here Comes the Sun (it's currently FREE!), please contact me.  You can find my info under the "Advertising" tab at the top of the page. I would love to learn more about you and your blog.

Filigree Earring Giveaway Winner

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway for the Filigree Earrings made by Kara at Happy Go Lucky.

The winner is:

Maureen

Congratulations!  Kara will be contacting you shortly.

Fabulous Friday {31}

Happy Friday!  

What has everyone been up to this week?  Have you entered my giveaway yet?  Kara from Happy Go Lucky has donated some gorgeous earrings!  Be sure to enter soon!  The giveaway ends Saturday at midnight! 


Are you all ready for a party to kick off the weekend? 

There were so many AMAZING projects linked up last week! 
The link that had the most views was:
10 tips and tricks for healthy eating from Carlee at Ladybird Lane

My pick for this week is:

Number Party by Hayley at Welcome to the Mouse House

Next week I will resume my "normal" number of features.  I've been sorta short on time the past couple weeks.  

On to this week's par-tay...

1. Please become a follower of my blog if you would like to link up.

2. Feel free to link up as many projects as you like but please link to your specific post and not your entire blog.

3. Please no linking to Etsy shops, giveaways or businesses.

4. Visit at least 2 links and leave some comments.  Everyone wants to feel loved!

5. Please link back to my blog using either a text link or my button.

Five Summer Essentials

Summer is in full swing and I wanted to share some summer essentials with you!  This is a round-up of projects and food that I made last summer that I hope you will enjoy. I will definitely be making a few of these again this summer.  

Need a way to beat the summer heat?  

This DIY sprinkler made from PVC was a HUGE hit at our house. 

Here is a yummy treat for those hot sticky days. 

 Homemade strawberry lemonade popsicles!

Need some new flip flops?  

These are uber comfortable and you can customize them with any fabric that you  want! 

Photo courtesy of The Mother Huddle

Another morsel of goodness for those hot sticky days: Banana split bites!

 Photo courtesy of Bakers Royale.

And finally, as we gear up for our Nation's birthday,

 how about some Patriotic Jello for those backyard BBQs!

Bring it on, summer!  I'm ready!

Sunshine Award

It feels so nice to be recognized and appreciated, doesn't it?  It makes my day when people leave lovely comments and when fellow bloggers pass on nice awards.  Michele over at Apples and Peanut Butter recently awarded me with the Sunshine Award.  

Here's how the award works.  First, you should thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them.  Next, answer the following questions about yourself.  Then, choose 10 of your favorite bloggers and link their blogs to your post.  Be sure to let them know that you are nominating them for the award.  Last, be sure to copy and paste the award to your blog!  

Now for the questions:

1.  Favorite color - Blue

2.  Favorite animal -  Hmmm..not sure

3.  Favorite number - don't have one

4.  Favorite Drink -  my current drink of choice is the mojito

5.  Facebook or Twitter -  Facebook

6.  Good book or good movie -  good movie

7.  My passion -  My family and running. Howver, I have been sidelined from running for quite some time now due to an injury.  I hope to get back into it soon.

8.  Giving or getting gifts - I know I'm supposed to say giving but I really like both!

9.  Favorite day - Saturdays at the beach with the family

10.  Favorite flower-  Tulip

 The 10 blogs that I would like to give the Sunshine Award to are below.  These are some (but not AL) of my favorite blogs. They are inspiring, wonderful bloggers.

 Live.Laugh.Rowe

 Southern Lovely

Happy Hour Projects

Nifty Thrifty Things

Come Together Kids

 Ladybird Lane

 Keeping it Simple

Bleak 2 Unique

Blissful and Domestic

My Sister's Suitcase

Please go check them out!!!

Guest Post: Wait Til Your Father Gets Home

My guest poster today is Meredith from Wait Til Your Father Gets Hom .  She is sharing a great summer DIY project!

Meredith is one of my swap sponsors and has a great blog that you should go check out.

Hi everyone! I'm Meredith from {Wait Til Your Father Gets Home}, a crafty and DIY blog that I recently started since becoming a stay at home mom to my little guy, Jackson.

{Here we are together on our first family vacation last week!}

First and foremost, I'm a wife and a mama. I'm also a former teacher, totally addicted to Pinterest (who isn't?), and lover of fall weather, McDonald's Caramel Frappe's (so bad for you, but oh so yummy), flip flops, and the Target Dollar Spot (Target + $1 finds = happy dance)!

Kelly's on a little vacay of her own and asked me to share a fun summer project with her awesome readers! I immediately thought of my Mod Podge Dyed Mason Jars because I think they are a perfect summer decor item.

As with most of my crafty projects I attempt, I did some Pinterest perusing and found out that by using Mod Podge and food coloring you can actually dye glass! The process was super easy.

So, let's get podging (yep, made that up)...

To make {mod podge dyed mason jars} you'll need:

wax paper

aluminum foil

baking sheet

glass mason jars (3 for $2.68 @ Hobby Lobby)

food coloring (I used gels)

Mod Podge (I used the Gloss finish)

water

Except for the mason jar purchase, I had all materials on hand already! So this was a $2.68 project!

 Woo hoo!

For each jar I used about two tablespoons of Mod Podge and a few drops of food coloring. Swirl each mason until the inside is completely coated with the Mod Podge/food coloring mixture. You might want to add a few drops of water to help the mixture move a little easier, but don't add more than a teaspoon!

Once the jar was coated, I flipped it upside down on top of wax paper on my countertop and let it ooze out for about 10 minutes. I then placed it upside down on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil (you don't want to ruin your cookie sheet). I baked each jar for 20 minutes at 250 degrees, then used an oven mitt to move the jar to another location on the cookie sheet and baked for another 20 minutes (there will be some sticky Mod Podge gunk underneath the jar). Moving it once, should take care of getting rid of all that extra stuff that has worked its way down the jar.

*I forgot to take pictures of the baking process, but there really wasn't much to see. The jar will slowly become see through again while it bakes!*

After baking for 40 minutes or so, the jar should be done! Keep in mind that it was in the oven and is VERY hot! Use oven mitts and place on a safe surface to cool for at least 20 minutes!

I used my jars to spruce up our homemade wine rack in our kitchen.

I added some jute twine and a few flower stems and now have another cute centerpiece for the summer!

Have you tried using Mod Podge to dye glass? How did the process work out for you and what did you make!?

Enjoy!

Thanks again for having me today Kelly! I'm a huge fan of Here Comes the Sun and was honored to help you out.

Please come check out {Wait Til Your Father Gets Home} for more crafty ideas, DIY projects and yummy recipes. You can also connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I look forward to meeting some of you soon!

Guest Post and Giveaway: Happy Go Lucky

Today I want to welcome Kara from Happy Go Lucky.  She is sharing a great summer boredom buster!  And as a bonus, she's sponsoring a great giveaway!

Hi everyone! I'm super excited to be Kelly's guest today!

My name is Kara and I blog over at Happy Go Lucky.

Today I have two things to share with you.  

First, I'm sharing the Wheel of Fun.  I made this last summer for my son because I needed something for when he came to me with those dreaded words "I'm bored".

Here is what you need to make your very own Wheel of Fun:

• file folder
• scrapbook paper
• clear contact paper
• velcro
• white cardstock paper
• 1 brad 
• Paperclip or safety pin

Steps:

1.  Take your file folder and cut into a large circle.  

2.  Cover with scrapbook paper. 

3.  Laminate with clear contact paper.

4.  Add velco squares to each section of the circle.

5.  Poke a hole in the center of the wheel

6.  Type up and print out the different activities you want to include.  Cut out and laminate with the contact paper.  Then add velcro to the back of each activity.

7.  Cut out an arrow.  Tape the safety pin or paper clip to the back of the arrow.  This is important if you want the arrow to spin correctly.   Then laminate with contact paper.  Poke a hole in the arrow and use the brad to attach to the wheel. 

8.  Choose your first 8 activities and attach to the wheel.

9.  Then spin the wheel and pick your first activity to           

                                                                                         complete!

Now for the second thing - It's time for a giveaway!  

Woohoo!  I love giveaways!!

I'm giving away a pair of filigree earrings.  These earrings are hand painted and sealed in your choice of color.  The winner will get to pick any color they want and the style they want.

Use rafflecopter to enter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please stop by and visit me over at Happy Go Lucky if you get a minute.

Thanks Kelly for having me as your guest and I hope everyone has a fabulous summer!!

Fabulous Friday {30}

Happy Friday!

I'm heading out of town this week for a much needed break!  I've got a few great bloggers lined up to help me out while I'm gone so I hope you will stop by for their guest posts. But before I go, we've got a party to go to!

The two links with the most views from last week's party are:
Pillowcase Dress from Lindsay at Southern Lovely

              Insulator Coat Rack 

              from Katie at Creatively Living

Please grab a button from my sidebar if you were featured today!

I will also be pinning these to my {Here Comes the Sun} Fabulous Friday Features pinboard on Pinterest.

On to this week's par-tay...

1. Please become a follower of my blog if you would like to link up.

2. Feel free to link up as many projects as you like but please link to your specific post and not your entire blog.

3. Please no linking to Etsy shops, giveaways or businesses.

4. Visit at least 2 links and leave some comments.  Everyone wants to feel loved!

5. Please link back to my blog using either a text link or my button.

Lobster Handprint and Footprint Art

We are in the middle of our "Ocean Week" theme for summer break.  We have had fun reading books about the ocean and making ocean-themed crafts.  

I am in love with handprint and footprint art.  It is a great way to document how your children grow over time.  We used handprints and footprints to make cute lobsters the other day.

Use a sponge brush to apply the paint to your little one's hands and feet.

Stamp their handprints and footprint onto the paper, making sure the footprint is in the bottom center of the paper.

Let the paint dry and "connect" the body to the claws with red marker.

Using a black marker, draw two lines and glue some googly eyes at the end of each.

Add some definition to the lobster's body with black marker and you have a cute craft that you can keep as a reminder of how little your children once were.


How do you keep the learning going throughout the summer?

Fabulous Friday {29}

Happy Friday!  

How was everyone's week?  Currently, I am up to my eyeballs in chevrons.  I was up late late late last night  on my newest project, hence the late posting for Fabulous Friday.  Let's check out some of the Fabulous Features from last week, shall we?

I'm in love with this DIY Pallet Herb Garden from Second Chance to Dream.

Check out this cute dress from Two Sasters. Perfect for 4th of July!

What a creative way to turn an old type case into a spool organizer from Nifty Thrifty Things.

Please grab a button from my sidebar if you were featured today!

I will also be pinning these to my {Here Comes the Sun} Fabulous Friday Features pinboard on Pinterest.

I hope these features inspire you to get creative.  I know I've got tons of projects running through my head that I can't wait to get started on!

On to this week's par-tay...

1. Please become a follower of my blog if you would like to link up.

2. Feel free to link up as many projects as you like but please link to your specific post and not your entire blog.

3. Please no linking to Etsy shops, giveaways or businesses.

4. Visit at least 2 links and leave some comments.  Everyone wants to feel loved!

5. Please link back to my blog using either a text link or my button.

Sponsor Spotlight: Chase the Star

It's the beginning of a new month and I want to introduce you to one of my new sponsors, Barbara from Chase the Star. So grab a seat, a coffee (or a cocktail!) and let's all get to know a little bit about Barbara.

Hi there! I’m Barbara from Chase the Star.  I’m a wife, mom, and a Christian.

I started blogging as a creative outlet a few months ago, and can’t believe how much I love it!  I’ve always been creative and a DIY’er, and now I have my own little spot in the blogosphere to share my creations, tips, rants, etc. with you!  It’s been so fun to connect with other bloggers (and non-bloggers) that enjoy similar things!

Chase the Star focuses on DIY decorating and crafting on a budget.  I love to shop at thrift stores, garage sales, Craigslist, or anywhere else I can get a fun item for dirt cheap!  Taking an ugly piece and making it beautiful is a thrill for me!  Other things I enjoy are chocolate, reading, music, movies, and reality t.v. (guilty pleasure!)

A few of my most popular posts include tutorials on how to makeover an ugly metal file cabinet , create a vintage inspired soap dispenser out of a mason jar, up-cycle to a fun subway baseball dresser, and ideas for burlap art projects.  

Thanks for taking the time to get to know a little about me :)

You can follow my blog, and find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. I am so excited to get to 'meet' you!  

Thanks, Barbara, for sponsoring Here Comes the Sun this month!

"Thanks for helping me GROW" Flowerpot

My daughter graduated Pre-K this week. {sniff sniff}.  Next year she will go to kindergarten.  To say I am a bit teary eyed is an understatement.  I absolutely adored her teachers this year.  She has grown and learned so much since the Fall, it really amazes me.  

The craft that I am sharing with you today was actually made for Teacher's Appreciation Week last month.  But it could easily be given as an end-of-the-year gift too.

"Thanks for Helping Me Grow" Flowerpot

I first discovered this cute idea from Giggles Galore.  I posted it in my Teacher Appreciation Gift round-up.  Are you ready to see how to make it?

MATERIALS

Terra Cotta Flowerpot

Yellow paint

Black paint

White paint

Sharpie

Tape measure

DIRECTIONS

Paint the base of your flowerpot black. Paint the rim of the pot yellow. I think these two things are fairly self-explanatory, hence no pics for this step.  If you are desperate for pics, you can check it out below :)

Wrap the tape measure around the rim of the pot.  Using a sharpie, mark the measurement lines.

Remove the tape measure and draw the numbers on with the sharpie.

Paint the words "Thanks for helping me GROW" on the pot and put some pretty flowers in it.

I also put my daughter's name and year on the back.

I actually used chalkboard paint for this project rather than black paint.  At first, I wrote the words on with chalk.  However, the chalk was easily smudged and I decided I wanted to make things more permanent with paint instead of chalk.

My daughter's teacher's LOVED these gifts.