Fun with Perler Beads (crafting tips at the end!)

"If you continuously compete with others you become BITTER.
If you continuously compete with yourself you become BETTER."

This summer's family craft activity involved Perler Beads. Ever since I realized that cross-stitch patterns are ideal for fusible bead projects, I've been itching to create something. So I did. And the supplies that were left out for weeks (!) on the dining room table tempted my boys every time they walked by them, so they created some pieces, too. I'm a big fan of keeping art supplies on hand so that one can create the instant one has the whim to do so.

My "Bitter vs. Better" above was actually the second piece that I created. I honestly believed that my first attempt had satisfied my Perler Bead crafting urge, but then it occurred to me that I could do so much better. 

This is my first Perler Bead project of 2015.

“Love is a verb, not a noun. It is active. Love is not just feelings of passion and romance. It is behavior. ... The words “I love you” are not enough to make up for that. Don’t kid yourself that they are.” 
~Susan Forward

So many beads tediously placed! I truly thought I'd had enough fun! Nope. And if the supplies weren't all put away, I'd likely be busy on just one more piece because I've thought of a gift idea! But I shall refrain.

And, of course, the family that crafts together, stays together. Or something like that.

Oldest son's finished project.

Youngest son's finished project. He doesn't want it framed.

Some fusible bead crafting tips:

• DON'T iron the beads directly on the peg board. It will warp. Use the "masking tape method." 
• This tool works for large expanses of the same color (as was the case for my "Love is a verb" piece). This video explains how to use it. It's not complicated...
• This tool is a good scoop. But so is a teaspoon. And standard tweezers worked better for me.
• Minecraft, Google, and cross-stitch designs are excellent resources for pattern inspiration.
• Unless you really, really, REALLY enjoy sorting beads, don't buy a large mixed container of them. Individual bags of the exact colors that you need will get you creating much faster. TRUST ME ON THIS.

NOTE: I just created an affiliate account on Amazon. If you purchase items via the links I provided, then I get a few cents.

Love rice? Hate the calories?

Credit: Yuji Kotani / Photodisc / Getty Images

I'm barely managing to make scrambled eggs chez moi, but if you REALLY love rice and are motivated to reduce its caloric content, here ya go. Apparently, "scientists have discovered a simple way to cook rice that dramatically cuts the calories." It's actually a simple process, you just have to plan ahead since there's 12 hours of refrigeration required.

I've been using my seam ripper incorrectly my entire life

How to pack a Pocket Pie for school lunch

My kids enjoy Hot Pockets. I'm not a big fan of processed foods, but I will happily admit that last school year, Hot Pockets were an occasional life saver...especially after I figured out how to pack them for lunches.

I was so excited about my new school lunch option that I, of course, told all my friends about it. Which is when I discovered that some people are intimidated by the lunch packing how-to's. So I'm sharing the process here. It's not complicated. Really. And your kids get a hot meal without having to spend precious lunchtime minutes waiting in a cafeteria line.

Hot Pocket packed in a Thermos for school

How To Pack a Hot Sandwich for Lunch

What you need:
1 Wide-mouth Thermos
Hot water, enough to fill Thermos
2 parchment paper or aluminium foil rectangles. Large enough to mostly cover half a sandwich.
1 hot sandwich (e.g., Hot Pocket or a grilled cheese sandwich)

1. Fill Thermos with boiling water. Let sit for a few minutes.
   I do this before I make breakfast for the kids thereby giving the water plenty of time to heat up the Thermos.
2. Cut two pieces of parchment paper or foil into rectangles. They should each be large enough to cover half a sandwich.
3. Warm up Hot Pocket in microwave. (Or prepare your warm sandwich.)
4. While sandwich is warming, quickly drain and dry Thermos. Resealing the lid when you're done.
5. Working quickly, cut warmed sandwich in half and wrap each portion in paper or foil.
   (Wrapping the portions individually makes it easier to pull them out of the container.)
6. Place in Thermos and seal.

I've asked my kids how warm their sandwiches are by lunchtime and one responded that they were still "hot." But that's my sensitive one. I doubt the sandwiches are "hot," but I'm confident that they are, at the very least, warm.
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Okay. I wasn't being entirely honest about how often I fed my kids Hot Pockets last year. They were waaayyyyy more than an "occasional" life saver. Which is why I'm spending the summer looking for an alternative that will lessen my mom-guilt, if even just a little bit. And I've found some options! I'll share them later.