When the kids start yelling " Mom,I'm bored" during summer vacation , here are a couple of ideas that are entertaining. Everyone likes a good game of checkers right? If you have some shells laying around, " I know you do" or after a day on the beach how about making a checkerboard and using seashells as the checkers?. 1st, you are going to need a table and seshells. You will need 24 Seashells, Find 12 of one type of shell and 12 of another type. For the table go to a thrift shop, Goodwill, or use a picnic table or any other table you want to use. Pick 3 different color paints you want to use. It doesn't have to be the standard Red and Black. Make the colors beachy and fun, let the kids pick the colors. You will use a lighter color to paint the top of the table.
Center the checkerboard pattern on the table.
Make sure you have a 14" square, Use a cardboard checkerboard if you need to as a template.
Draw straight lines two inches in from each side using a pencil and straight ruler. You should now have a 12-inch square in the middle of your wood.
Draw 1 1/2 inch squares within the newly drawn square. You should have eight squares across and eight squares down for a total of 64 squares.
Paint the squares in two different colors; a light color and a dark color. In the top row, paint the first square one color and the second square your second color. Repeat this pattern down the row. For the second row, begin with your second color, followed by the first; continue alternating throughout the entire board.
I would use an acrylic paint, and a couple coats of sealer to protect the board.
When I saw this at the beach on Sunday I absolutely cracked up. I have been out of the little kid stuff for a while, and maybe you know about this, but a Hot Dog Octopus?
Owner John Jenkins operates Seaside Hotdogs at Hunting Island State Park. He puts a smile on children's faces by making an Octopus out of a Hot Dog! Who knew? The bottom half of the hot dog is sliced into strips and then put in the "hot tub" to boil , and the hot dog curls up to look like tentacles! A couple dollups of mustard for eyes, and there you have it! I came home to look for pictures of this little delicasey and low and behold they were everywhere! A fun and easy dinner!
