No Sew DIY Bikini for Toddlers

I really had fun with this project. The editors from Yahoo! She asked me to write an article on how to make swimsuits for kids. I think I came up with something better. 

These bikini top and bottoms are refashioned from old shirts and best of all, these are so easy to make even for those with absolutely zero sewing skills. 

 

My adorable twin nieces eagerly modeled for me while my cousins, Bless and Paolo helped with the photos. The "photo shoot" also gave me a chance to bond and spend time with my cousins despite our hectic schedules (O, diba, Penny?). It was also a perfect excuse to munch on tacos and lechon manok! 

Will post a step by step tutorial soon! 

Questions from a 4 Year Old

While counting his dominoes

Alonzo: 1,2,3,....10,11,12,13....19,20,...27,28,29.......(long pause, as if he was thinking really hard) Mama, why isn't there a twenty-ten?

Best Mother's Day Gift -- Ever!

This afternoon while Alonzo was in a super playful, harot mood. As he seemed to bounce from one sofa to another he all of the sudden said, "Thank you, Mama." I asked what for. He answered, "Mama, thank you, for YOU!" and gave me a kiss. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! 

Pink Lemonade

It was a big surprise to know that hubby hasn't heard of how the juice of boiled kamote leaves will turn pink when calamansi juice is added to it. My sisters and I had this kind of juice all the time as kids. I also remember a segment about this in Batibot with Ate Sienna (okay, this kind of gives off my age -- if you don't know who ate Sienna is or if you don't know what Batibot is I'd be a little hurt).  Also, we often use those 2 ingredients together in sinigang and now I wonder why hubby hasn't bothered to ask why our sinigang soup is pink. My recent post on "sophisticated" ice-candy flavors also kind of got the attention of some of the faculty members at work. They were quite intrigued. Hmm... I assumed all along that everybody knows how to make "pink lemonade".   

Alonzo loved the calamansi and basil flavored ice candy that I made. To be honest, he didn't care much about the 2 other flavors (he didn't like the ginger taste with the pineapple, while the chopped mint leaves with the mango and cucumber kind of threw him off). Anyway, here's a simple step by step tutorial on how to make pink "lemonade".

Step 1: Boil a few kamote leaves in water

 

Step 2: Squeeze the juice of calamansi

Step 3: Pour kamote juice on to a pitcher and add cold water

Step 4: Add calamansi juice (watch closely as the liquid transforms into a lovely pink color)   

 

 (I took a video of this but it is taking forever to upload!)

Step 5: Sweeten with honey or sugar

 

Step 6: Add ice

 Enjoy!

Sophisticated Ice Candy

Now that summer’s heat is in full swing cool down with a favorite and classic Filipino treat -- ice candy! The addition of herbs and yes, even some veggies gives more depth and a sophisticated twist to the fruity flavors. Here are 3 unique and refreshing flavors that you won’t find at your neighbors ice candy stand. 

Pink calamansi and basil ice candy

Step 1: Make a basic sugar syrup by combining 1/3 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat. Flavor syrup with a few basil leaves. Spoon out the basil leaves. Set aside and let it cool.

Step 2: Boil 3 cups water with about a handful of camote tops (talbos ng kamote). Set aside and let it cool.

Step 3: Squeeze out the juice of 20 calamansi. Strain into a pitcher.

Step 4: Pour cooled camote tops-infused water on to pitcher with calamansi (the liquid will turn pink!) and sweeten with syrup.

Step 5: With a funnel pour into ice candy plastic bags and freeze overnight.

Mango, mint and cucumber ice candy

Step 1: Peel, seed and cut 2 medium cucumbers into chunks. .

Step 2: Scoop out the flesh of 2 medium ripe mangoes.

Step 3: Place mangoes and cucumbers together in a blender. Add ¼ cup of fresh mint leaves and 3 cups mango juice.

Step 4: Blend to desired consistency and pour mixture into a pitcher.

Step 5: With a funnel pour into ice candy plastic bags and freeze overnight.

Spiced pineapple and lemongrass ice candy

Step 1: Combine 1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, 3-5 sprigs of lemongrass and about a thumb size piece of peeled ginger in a saucepan over medium heat. Turn off heat when it slightly thickens into a syrup. Set aside and let it cool.

Step 2: Pour 3 cups of unsweetened pineapple juice into a pitcher and add syrup.

Step 3: With a funnel pour into ice candy plastic bags and freeze overnight.

Enjoy!

DIY Street Chalk

Imagine all the empty eggshells leftover after Easter egg hunting. Keep them all next time! Here’s a fun, creative and eco-friendly way to recycle them. You can create street chalk out of eggshells.  These chalks are good to draw on concrete, asphalt and stones. Use them to draw patterns for playing piko, patintero, tic-tac-toe and for creating your own sidewalk art.

Materials needed:

12 eggshells

6 teaspoons flour

Warm water

Food color

Mortar and pestle

Moulds such as ice cube trays, cookie cutters, polvoron shaper

Step 1: Wash and dry the eggshells. Peel off the inner membrane.

 

Step 2: Use a mortar and pestle to grind eggshells into fine powder. Transfer into a bowl.

Step 3: Add flour and water to form a very thick paste.

Step 4: Divide mixture into separate containers and add drops of food color on each container. Mix well until the color is evenly distributed.

Step 5: Roll to form cylinders or place eggshell mixture into moulds. Place on a flat surface and let them dry for 2 days. 

Note:A dozen eggshells will yield about 10 discs.

DIY Doll Table and Chair Set

Here's another amazing way to recycle toilet paper rolls into toys.   Turn those tubes into an easy-to-assemble set of miniature chairs and table that your kids (and dolls) would love. 

Material s needed:

Toilet paper tubes

Scissors

Cardboard

Old gift wrapper or any paper with a pretty print

Glue

Step 1: Cut tissue paper roll to make a “back rest” 

Step 2: Trace the end of the tube on a piece of cardboard to make a circle

Step 3: Cut to make a “seat”

Step 4: Use a small piece of gift wrapper to cover the “seat”

Step 5: Attach “seat” with tape

Step 6: Cut cardboard to form the top of the table

Step 7: Attach to toilet paper tube with tape 

I hope that this would inspire some DIY projects of your own!