Homemade Camping gift idea.

It's camping season again and that mean mosquitos! I have instructions on how to make homemade citronella candles for any outdoor activity where pests may be a problem. I hate spraying myself full of stinky bug spray especially while camping because showers aren't always easy to take before we go to bed. I hate the mosquito spray smell and feeling on my skin. Yuck! I am making a bunch of these to take camping with us 4th of July weekend. I will be sure to make plenty of candles because it's always good to share. You can buy Yaley Soy Wax 1 lb through a place called CreateForLess
I like soy wax because it burns cleaner and it also burns straight to the bottom of the jar. You can also get Candle Wick with Wire Core and the Citronella Oil I found at a place called SHOP.COM Good Luck and here's to summer! Don't forget to check in at The Best Homemade Gift Ideas website for new homemade Father's Day Gift Ideas as well as more homemade summer gift ideas!

What's a good homemade summer time gift?

I was just recently asked," What's a good summer time gift?" When I think of summer, I think of watermelon. It's the official summer time fruit! These hand painted watermelon flower pots are really cute and very easy to paint. What a great gift to give someone for a housewarming or a hostess gift? In fact, my children painted these for their grandmas for Mother's Day. Both Grandmothers LOVED them! You can add whatever flowers you like to the pots. I'm a petunia girl so I made sure to put those in, but I also added some marigolds and some ivy as well.

What did you think about this project or any others! Did you try this project? Show us pictures!!!
Sometimes it's hard to find art supplies in some areas.

Click on the TERRA COTTA Pots 8" SET to purchase pots for painting. If you are looking for paints click Basic Set Acrylic Paints to be able to purchase paints and painting supplies. I get a lot of my art supplies from Dick Blick Art Materials .They ship supplies very quickly and the operators/order takers are very polite and nice to work with.

Here are a few more ideas for painting terra cotta pots:

102 Terra Cotta Projects: Pretty & Practical, Whimsical & Wonderful Ideas for Terra Cotta Pots of All Sizes!


Painting and Decorating Clay Pots: 117 Step-by-Step Projects for Making People, Animals, and Fantasy Characters on Terra-Cotta Pots


Painting and Decorating Clay Pots : 150 Step-by-Step Projects for Making People, Animals, and Fantasy Characters from Terra-Cotta Pots
Once you start painting you may find it very adictive!! Have fun!

Literally... A handmade strawberry trivet

I saw this project and had to do it with my kids at school. These turned out so cute! The starwberry trivets are made out of a simple ceramic tile and acrylic paint . They were so easy to make.




Here's some more craft and gift ideas using ceramic tiles:
Creativity For Kids Ceramic Tile Art


Mosaic Project [VHS]


Mosaic Tile Flower Kit

Is there an easy way to paint a portrait with watercolor?

Is there an easy way to paint a portrait in watercolor? The answer to this is YES! One of my wonderful readers submitted this awesome tutorial. Thanks Kat from Seattle Washington!

Here is a tutorial for painting a watercolor portrait using a stencil. So you think you can't paint... well, think again!