Mini Mason Jar Aquariums

Everything is better in a mason jar, right?

These are just so easy to make and a really fun Summer activity for the kids. They'd also be a great for an “Under The Sea” themed birthday party or a beach themed wedding. Found here:
http://alittleclaireification.com/2015/05/11/mini-mason-jar-aquariums-summer-in-jars-series/

Supplies You Need

Pint Sized Mason Jars Jars (you could also recycle jelly jars, etc)
Sea Life Miniature Figures (we got a 12 pack & I saw these later – more variety & a little smaller)
Assorted Plastic Aquarium Plants (these are a 6 pack and the ceramic base is helpful)
Aquarium Gravel – any color you choose
Glitter (optional)
Water (distilled or filtered water is a little less cloudy)
Blue Food Coloring

The aquarium plants we used have a little ceramic base which is great but they were a wee bit big. I trimmed off one of the offshoots (branches??) and also trimmed them down by a couple inches.

You could easily get about 10 jars worth out of that plant pack if you trim off pieces because they are very full plants.

To assemble, we added the plant first, then a little gravel, about an inch or so, and 1/2 tsp of glitter.

Fill a large glass with water and add 1 drop of blue food coloring. You don't want the water to be TOO blue so it’s better to get the color you want first and then pour the water into the mason jar.

My son dropped in two sea animals of his choice and we added the water carefully until mostly full – right to the lower rim. Then, we just screwed the lid on tightly and that’s it! A sweet little mini aquarium. Added bonus? It never needs cleaning. We keep ours stored upright so no worries about leaking but my son does like to shake it gently and watch the glitter swirl around. Wouldn't these also be so pretty as decorations at a party or wedding?

Marshmallow Fondant

Marshmallow Fondant is an easy fondant made of marshmallows, water, and powdered sugar. It’s simple to make, and many prefer the taste over regular fondant, since it tastes like very sweet marshmallows. You can use marshmallow fondant as you would regular fondant, to cover cakes, form shapes, and make candy. Be warned that it tends to get sticky in moist places, so it doesn’t hold up as well as regular fondant when placed over frosting and refrigerated for days.

This recipe yields 1 1/2 lbs of fondant, and can easily be halved or doubled. If you're wondering how much fondant you need to cover your cake.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces miniature marshmallows (4 cups not packed, or half of a 16-ounce bag)
1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups), plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp water
Food coloring or flavored extracts, optional

Yield: 1 1/2 lbs fondant

PREPARATION

1. Dust your counter or a large cutting board with powdered sugar. Place the marshmallows and the water in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute, until the marshmallows are puffy and expanded.

2. Stir the marshmallows with a rubber spatula until they are melted and smooth. If some unmelted marshmallow pieces remain, return to the microwave for 30-45 seconds, until the marshmallow mixture is entirely smooth and free of lumps.

4. Scrape the marshmallow-sugar mixture out onto the prepared work surface. It will be sticky and lumpy, with lots of sugar that has not been incorporated yet--this is normal. Dust your hands with powdered sugar, and begin to knead the fondant mixture like bread dough, working the sugar into the marshmallow with your hands.If you want colored or flavored fondant, you can add several drops of food coloring or extracts at this point and stir until incorporated. If you want to create multiple colors or flavors from one batch of fondant, do not add the colors or flavors now. Instead, refer to step 6 below for instructions.

3. Add the powdered sugar and begin to stir with the spatula. Stir until the sugar begins to incorporate and it becomes impossible to stir anymore.

5. Continue to knead the fondant until it smoothes out and loses its stickiness. Add more sugar if necessary, but stop adding sugar once it is smooth--too much sugar will make it stiff and difficult to work with. Once the fondant is a smooth ball, it is ready to be used.

6. If you want to add coloring or flavoring to your fondant, flatten it into a round disc. You might want to wear gloves to avoid getting food coloring on your hands during this step. Add your desired amount of coloring or flavoring to the center of the disc, and fold the disc over on itself so that the color or flavor is enclosed in the center of the fondant ball.You can now roll it out, shape it, or wrap it in cling wrap to use later. Well-wrapped fondant can be stored in a cool room or in the refrigerator, and needs to be kneaded until supple before later use.

7. Begin to knead the ball of fondant just like you did before. As you work it, you will begin to see streaks of color coming through from the center. Continue to knead until the streaks are gone and the fondant is a uniform color. Your fondant is now ready to be used or stored as outlined above.

HINT: Roll your Fondant between wax paper it makes for a smoother surface, it won't stick to your rolling pin.

Homemade Silicone Putty

Picture of How To Make Your Own Sugru Substitute

I call it Oogoo, an inexpensive silicone clay that is easily made. It can be used as an excellent substitute for Sugru. It can be hand molded or cast in forms. Or, it can be used as a casting silicone. It can be colored any color from white to black. It can also be made translucent to allow diffused light to shine through. It can even be painted on in thin layers. It has very good adhesive qualities and will stick to itself, glass, fabric, paper, wood, and some plastics and metals.

This instructable will show :

1- How to mix and color Oogoo

2- How to cast it or hand form it into different shapes.

3- How to make silicone paint

4- Several interesting uses for Gorilla tape and Gorilla Glue, see steps 3, 7, 12 and 15.

5- How to make a few projects using Sugru and a comparison of Oogoo and Sugru

Since I am mainly interested in using Oogoo to embed electronic circuits in flexible forms, this instructable will also show you how to:

1- Make a soft circuit LED pumpkin head robot display that can be embedded on to clothing.

2- Make cleanly etched conductive fabric circuits

3- Make conductive glue using Gorilla glue.

4- Embed circuits in Oogoo or Sugru