How To Multiply Children (aka Tattoos & Driveway Treasures)

by Sandy // July 20, 2020 // No Comments

It all started with dinner on a long-ago 4th of July. The restaurant had placed temporary tattoos of the American Flag at each place setting. Of course, no one wanted theirs, so I put all 4 in my wallet. Fast forward a few months. My friend, Robin, came by for a visit with her (then) 5-6 year old granddaughter, Brynna. I had nothing in the house to entertain a 6 year old until I remembered the tattoos. “You want a tattoo?” Her head came up, eyes grew wider and an expression of some excitement appeared on her face. That’s how it all began.

kids love temporary tattoos and treasures!

Brynna is now a beautiful, grown woman. But the “tattoo” legacy lives on. I started buying temporary tattoos of unicorns, lady bugs and butterflies, and glittery rainbows. Other children started knocking at the door “Can we have tattoos?” — my friend Regina’s grandchildren, my great nieces and nephews, children in the neighborhood. Now I keep a supply of tattoos in a kitchen drawer for surprise visits.

One day, we ordered a truck load of new gravel for our driveway. The grey rocks just looked boring. I had some coloured glass stones left over in some vases from a time when my husband bought me flowers. Thinking it would be fun to “decorate” my gravel with “treasures” for the kids, I tossed the colourful stones down and added a handful of coins (WHAT kid doesn’t like money?) … and children appeared!

Our gravel driveway is dotted with colourful treasures!

THINGS TO CONSIDER

Initially, kind neighbors (some quite elderly) picked up all of the treasures and either knocked at the door to return them (“Look what someone threw in your driveway!”) or they stacked the recovered treasures on a post or step.

If you park on the gravel, make sure the treasures can stand up to the weight of a car. Smashed treasures are no fun.
They should be fairly weather resistant.
Keep Ziplock Bags on hand. The treasure hunters usually want more than a small handful.

WHAT MAKES GOOD TREASURES

Besides the coloured glass stones used to hold cut flowers in vases and coins, here are a few of the kid’s favourites:

River rocks, fool’s gold, gems, minerals and crystals
Geodes
Petrified Wood
Small plastic toys (like 4 leaf clovers, rings and bugs)
Buttons
Beads (Buy inexpensive necklaces and take the beads off of the string)
Marbles
Play money
Charms
Shark’s Teeth
Arrowheads
Fossils
Plastic Glow-In-The-Dark rocks

WHERE TO GET TREASURES

Souvenir shops (Many have “fill a bag” of colourful rocks and gems
Oriental Trading Company (They have plastic toys galore!)
Dancing Bear (Great selection of shark’s teeth, arrowheads, fossils, rocks and minerals)
Graham Products (These clever kids put the glow-in-the-dark rocks in jars for makeshift nightlights!)
Thrift Stores
Dollar Stores
A nearby river (My great-nephew Will was partial to smooth river rocks!)
“Junk” drawers in your house
Friends and family (A number of friends – Sherry, Ned, Regina, Rhonda – have brought driveway treasures for the kids and are constantly on the look out for more!)

Over the years, it’s become a tradition. Frequently, there’s a child or 2 searching for treasures in the driveway. Oftentimes, it grows to 7 or 8.

Most times, they’re children that I know. Once in a while, it’s a stranger passing by with their kids. Either way, it’s always great fun to watch their excitement!

So, toss some treasures on your gravel and watch the children multiply!

Holy Cow!!

by Irene // July 17, 2020 // No Comments

1. Thinking about taking a ‘Rona hobby to the next level? Find Inspiration here.

Thinking about taking a Corona hobby to the next level? Find Inspiration!

2. Japan is serious about slowing the spread of Covid-19 in a most unusual way! See how here.

Japan is serious about slowing the spread of Corona in a most unusual way!

3. Do you have a minute? Or 20? Here’s a clever way to “visualize” wealth.

Here's a clever way to "visualize" wealth during Corona. — d

4. And finally, if you’re searching for a new home, you have to see this clever app. It’s not going to tell you if the neighborhood is kooky, but it can be quite informative.

This clever app isn't going to tell you if the neighborhood is kooky, but it can be quite informative if you're searching for a new home during Corona.

There’s a Mask for That

by Irene // June 20, 2020 // 4 Comments

It’s the Covid-19 pandemic and I have three weddings to attend this season. Since it’s been recommended to wear a face mask, I decided to search for a “fancy” one. I never imagined the slew of them that are out there!

At the onset of the pandemic, priority was given to health-care workers who were in desperate need of face masks. That left the rest of us waiting 4-6 weeks for a face mask delivery. Nothing–not a rabbit’s foot or tossing spilled salt over your shoulder–would get them delivered faster. With necessity being the mother of invention, mask protection has become creative, humorous, and, well, sometimes downright bizarre.

Take a peek:

Innovation:

Desperate for masks, we used anything we could find to protect ourselves. Jeans, bras, underwear, our old Bonnaroo Bandanas. Even Gran’s quilts were sacrificed.

Masks are a Must-Have Wardrobe Item

Between April 4th and 6th, internet searches for masks averaged 9 times per second. Not only have our lives changed but so will our closets. Masks have become “pandemic chic”. Why not trade your plain-jane mask for one of these?

Protecting our Children:

Cloth is best. Size and fit are important. The following meet these criteria for children over the age of two. Click the image to see where you can buy my favorites:

Kentucky

Yep. We followed the guidelines and flattened the curve with determination and humor.

Pop Culture (Fluff)

Embrace your inner geekiness.

Amusing

Brighten some moods with these.

For the Cool Kids

Like t-shirts, masks allow us to be expressive and are a reflection of your personal taste and personality.

I’ve Narrowed my Choices…

…you think pearls?

It looks like we’re going to be wearing cloth face masks for a while. At this point in the crisis, a mask you like is easier to find.

Unlikely companies including Tieks, Louisville Slugger, and CBS are producing masks. You can also browse the PPE vending machines at the Las Vegas Airport.

Other types not featured in this blog post, include sports, colleges, politics, protests, and others that haven’t come to mind.

Face masks are seen almost everywhere, even statues around the world.

Go ahead and leave your comments below.

Holy Cow!

by Irene // April 17, 2020 // No Comments

The new CBD craze has everyone jumping on board. It’s been touted as a remedy for almost everything — from dental cavities to acne. As the unregulated market gets saturated, it becomes a full-blown CBD “Battle Royale” for the industry to produce new (and sometimes odd) uses.