Ty left a bunch of great bird nest supplies supplies behind. Just check it out! We've got the produce bag webbed netting, some snazzy yarns, threads, and ribbon, and a pair of scissors. All right! Mama Dove is about to get an  upgrade!

Let's begin by cutting pieces of yarn and ribbon into...oh...say...five inch pieces long. (Wow...Ty even left a roll of some glimmering gold lame'. Oooo, la la!) Go ahead. Cut a cluster of pieces. We'll make good use of them.

Now all you have to do is weave a piece of yarn/ribbon into a space in the webbed netting. Simple! No need to knot it. We don't want to have to make Mama Dove work hard, do we? Just poke the end of the thread into one of the holes in the webbing, pull it through a little, and let the thread hang loosely in the net. Go on...use all of the colors. Fill your net with colorful nest making options.

When you're finished, simply tie your netted bag to a tree limb. That's all you have to do. All Mama Dove needs to do is grab one of these gorgeous threads in her sweet little beak and tug. That's easier than any trip to Home Depot!

Are you ready for the reveal? Since we don't have a bus, a bright red umbrella will have to do. Oh...where did I put that blow horn?

Here we go...John! Ready?

On three...One

Two...

Three...

MOVE THAT UMBRELLA!

Ahhh! Can you hear those doves cheering?

Jumping! 

Weeping!

Saying, "It's so beautiful..."

For three years now a beautiful white-winged dove comes back to her nest snuggled in a scrawny limb in our backyard Live Oak tree. As predictable as the sunrise, she and her mate return to work together spiffing up their drab, grassy home, and then she precedes to lay a nestful of eggs. John and I...even Tripod...enjoy checking in on her daily. She simply ignores us and goes about her sitting as if we weren't even there. 

I'm thrilled to announce that the dove family has returned a little earlier this year. They're currently busy in the spiffing up stage, flying about with bits of dry grass in their beaks. So this Saturday I thought we'd give Mama and Papa Dove a little hand. What do you say?  Let's add a little pizzazz to their crib...an Extreme Makeover - Bird Edition. I contacted my good buddy Ty Pennington to give me a hand with this renovation project. 

Here's what we need for the renovations: an empty netted produce bag (I used the red netted bag that was once full of Clementines. Yum.), bits of brightly colored curling ribbon, colorful yarn, and/or string.

Sadly, there won't be any bus to move when we're done. Oh well...

You don't scare me, you big brut!Ready for big Makayla showdown? Pennies/me vs. washers/John? Let's get ready to rumble!!!!!

Game supplies....couldn't be simpler.Behold Makayla supplies, in the truest of Simple Saturday style...an egg carton, 18 pennies and 18 washers. To create the game board, simply cut the top and side flap off of the carton. Let the battle begin!

Place 3 of your objects in each egg cup. See how I've placed my pennies down one row and John has placed his washers down the other?

Menacing, eh?

I'm first, naturally. I pick up a group of 3 pennies and, beginning at the cup to the right of my starting point, drop one penny at a time, moving to the right, towards John's washers. As I move, I drop one object in each consecutive cup. I start on my side of the carton and then move to John's. Because my last penny landed in John's first cup of washers, that means that I can scoop up his three washers for my See my last penny on top of John's washers? Got em!own. Ha! Take that!

That's the way you move around and around and around the board. You place an object in each consecutive cup beginning to the right of the cup with which you began. When your last object happens to land in a cup with some of your opponent's objects in it, they're yours! It is all about creating a strategy for your last object in your series to land in a cup filled with some of your partner's playing pieces.  

Now it is John's turn. He follows my plan and takes three of my washers. That's okay, I'll get him back. And so it goes, around the egg carton game board we go. He gets a few of mine. I get a lot more of his.

Poor John...he's all washed up. Get it? Washed up?And in the end, I am the victor!! I have scooped up all of John's washers. I'm the last penny standing!!!!

I'm the Makayla champion of the world!!!

Oh, John...don't be sore loser.  

Come on.

Let's play again. You can go first this time.

Hurry up...scramble the rest of those eggs. Empty out that egg carton. We need it to play a really fun game called Makayla!!! That's right. Clear out that egg carton and bring it with you tomorrow and I'll teach you how to play a game that will give you hours of Simple Saturday fun.

Also, along with the carton you'll need to gather up some small objects. You'll need find 18 of one type and 18 of another. For example, you might want to find 18 buttons and 18 beads, or 18 pennies and 18 noodles, or 18 small stones and 18 acorns.

Hey, let's do this in true Simple Saturday style! Let's have a super great time playing a fun game and not spend a single cent doing so! 

Ya hooo!!!

As we go through the steps of making chocolate roses, I encourage you to think of that ever-so-special someone that you are creating these for.  Think about the many good qualities your sweet one has. Think about the times that they made you laugh, helped you when you were sad...you know...all that lovie-dovie stuff. And if you do think about these things while we work together then maybe, just maybe, all of those 'love thoughts' will become part of this Simple Saturday gift you're making for them...Maybe.

Let's begin. Got the supplies? The Saran Wrap, the florist wire, the florist, tape, the Hershey's Kisses, and the optional silk leaf? 

Okay, tear off an approximently 6 inch piece of Saran Wrap. Cut that larger piece in half.

Next, place the flat sides of two Hershey's together. Your rose bud is beginning to bloom, my friend.

Cover the 'bud' with a piece of Saran Wrap. You'll need to gather a tail of wrap underneath the bud. Go ahead and twist that tail of Saran Wrap to make it look like the tightly wrapped end of a cellophane covered piece of candy.

Fold a wire in half (Hint: I used 20 gauge wire. Easier on the fingers. You'll see why in a minute. Keep thinking those good thoughts...). At the half mark of the wire, twist around the Saran Wrap tail. Make your wire twist pretty firm, as close to the bottom of the bud as you can. You don't want a wilted rose bud, do you?

Here comes the tricky part...the florist tape. The secret to getting the tape to adhere to itself as you wrap around the wire stem is to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the tape. When you stretch it, the tape gets sticky and gummy...good stuff for rose making. So, go ahead, stretch and twist, stretch and twist, wrap that tape all the way to the ends of your wire.

All right, if you want to add a silk leaf go ahead and do so. Secretly, between you and me, pal, I didn't buy my silk leaf at the craft store. I snipped mine off of a kitchen flower arrangement. Shhh. Don't tell.

So there you have them...Chocolate Roses! Aren't they gorgeous?

 Who did you think about while we made these? You know who I did? YOU! I thought about how grateful I am that you spent a little bit of a Simple Saturday with me! Thank you for that and bless you, my Simple Saturday friend.

Have a love-filled Valentines Day. Make Cupid envious!

Rather than breaking the bank finding ways to express one's undying affection for another, why not keep it simple? Let your beloveds know how much you care by making a tiny treasure, one that just night become a lifetime tradition. Make your sweetheart some Simple Saturday Hershey Kiss Chocolate Roses!

Here's what you'll need to gather up, my friends. You need florist tape (This stuff is a little tricky to manage. Don't worry, though. I'll show you some techniques for successful twistage.), medium gauge florist wire, Saran Wrap, and a bag of Hershey's Kisses.

For an optional accent for your Simple Saturday Chocolate Roses, you can buy some of those little silk leaves florists use for making corsages. They can be found at the craft store near all of the wedding stuff. But, if you're keeping costs low, in our celebrated Simple Saturday style, you can skip the leaves. We'll do just fine without them.

Now go out there and love it up! See you tomorrow, sweetheart.

Being that this week's Simple Saturday post is of the seasonal variety, I thought I'd give you a head's up as to the project we'll be making.

Before you go out and buy some expensive Valentine's Day gifties check in with me and I'll show you how to make chocolate roses!

That's right. You heard me. (Cue the sexy French accent) Chocolate Roses a la Simple Saturday.

Cupid ain't got nothin' on Simple Saturday Chocolate Roses.

Nothin'.

The moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived! Move over Mickey Dees. Make room for the cookie of all cookies -- the Hamburger Cookie.

You ask how can vanilla wafers, coconut, peppermint patties, food coloring, and your optional sesame seed combine to become a hamburger? Well, I'll show you right here and now!

First of all we must make our condiments. Pinch a healthy clump of coconut with your immpeccably clean fingers and place it in a small bowl. I used three bowls...one for my ketchup, my mustard, and my pickles. Squirt a sizeable bit of food coloring in with the coconut and stir! Whalla! Coconut condiments! Of course, if you prefer mayo on your burgers you can leave the coconut white, if you'd like. Come on...use your imagination now.

Next, let's start with a foundation...the bottom half of the bun. For this, lay one vanilla wafer on a plate. (I made a few extras. You know that John will want a couple when I'm done, right?) Top that bottom bun with a pattie of the dark chocolate and peppermint variety. Now choose your desired condiments. As you can see, I've made several tasty coconut condiment combination samples here.

Place the top vanilla wafer bun over the coconut condiments. Slightly dampen the top of the bun with water. Place a wee pinch of sesame seeds over the top bun's slightly dampened spot. Wow! Don't these cookies look like hamburgers already? But hold your fries...we're not finished yet.

Stick your hamburgers in the microwave for 15 seconds. This will melt the pattie just enough to make the whole thing stick together nicely, as well as fill the kitchen with a fabulous minty aroma.

And, lo and behold, you have made Hamburger Cookies fit for the Burger King!!! Let them cool for a few moments, maybe even place them in the fridge for a little while. This will help them to mold into a truly believable hamburger-like form.

Go ahead, have some simple fun making these treats. They're easy to make, terrifically tasty, and unique enough that you, too, might win the coveted blue ribbon at the all-school bake-off!

Psst...Don't you know those mothers that entered their cookies made from expensive family recipes were pickle green with envy when my daughter and I won with these hamburger cookies? Serves those mamas right, don't you think? They should've been baking cookies the Simple Saturday way!

It is only because you and I have become dear Simple Saturday friends that I am willing to share my secret blue ribbon cookie recipe.

You see, I am not baker. Never have been. Never will be. BUT years ago my daughter and I once won the highest honor of "The Best Cookie Ever" at a school bake-off with the coveted recipe I am about to share with you....The Hamburger Cookie.

So, hold the mayo and gather up these ingredients; vanilla wafers, peppermint patties, coconut, yellow and green food coloring, sesame seeds (optional), water, and a very clean small paint brush.

Get the goods and let's have some super-sized fun tomorrow, shall we? See you on Simple Saturday.

 Who needs a dark and stormy night to whip up a little rain? Not us.

Tomorrow I will show you just how to stir up a wee bit of weather by using a tea kettle, some ice cubes, a wide metal spoon, and some water. We'll be using the kitchen stove so, since this activity involves some heat, it'd be best if an adult is somewhere nearby.

Save your rain dance for another time and join me in the simply soggy fun!

Hey, Simple Saturday pal! Look at my box of Ivory Snow nestled up in a bank of real, true-to-life, super-deep Vermont snow. Isn't that awesome? Can you believe it? Remember I'm a Texas girl, and traipsing around in snow deeper than the soles of my shoes this is a pretty big ding-dang-deal!

Enough about the winter wonderland I just left behind, ready to make some soap crayons? All we need is soap flakes, hot water (and I do mean HOT), a mixing bowl, and some kind of mold to have the soap crayons. I decided to use a muffin tin. John had the great idea to line the tin with muffin cups...good idea. Optional, but good.

Here we go. Dump the soap flakes in a mixing bowl. Gradually wet the mixture with the hot, hot, hot water. Stir like the devil to thicken the soap crayon mixture. 

Pour mixture into smaller bowl add a few big squirts of food coloring and keep stirring.

 I drafted John to help me stir. Enthusiastic, isn't he? 

Next, pour your colored soap mixtures into your mold. Place your mold in the freezer for a few hours.

Go to a movie or maybe out to eat, and when you return...BAM...you'll have some awesome soap crayons waiting for you.

Now fill up the bathtub with some cozy warm water. With your nifty soap crayons in hand, climb on in and simply draw on the tile to your soggy heart's content. Talk about good clean fun, eh?

See you next week!

Are you ready for a squeaky clean adventure? Well, I am, and so is this little fella in this picture.

Scavenge up some Ivory Snow (or any other type of soap flakes), hot water, and food coloring to make some cool crayons together. If you can find an old ice tray or small molds of some kind, that'd be good.

So come back by tomorrow morning to have some more Simple Saturday simple fun!!!

Are you ready for a squeaky clean adventure? Well, I am, and so is this little fella in this picture.

Scavenge up some Ivory Snow (or any other type of soap flakes), hot water, and food coloring to make some cool crayons together. If you can find an old ice tray or small molds of some kind, that'd be good.

So come back by tomorrow morning to have some more Simple Saturday simple fun!!!

Pictures of David Elzey, MFA are forthcoming.

Meet my good friend David Elzey, children's author extraordinaire. Throngs of people have gathered together in the Vermont College dining hall to witness his incredible performance of an amazing magic trick, the Paper Clip Illusion.

Here he is, holding an every day, nothing special, plain old white envelope and only five paper clips. One by one, David drops the paper clips into the envelope.

Being the cagey fellow that he is, David puts the every day, nothing special, plain old white envelope and the five paper clips behind his back.

After chanting his magic word Publishcio three times, he brings back around to face the audience. Ever so cautiously, David lifts the envelope flap and...oh, my goodness...how did that happen? The lunch room crowd breathes a collective, "Ooooooo." The paper clips are linked together! For real! It's magic!

Or is it, really? 

David was able to wow the crowd with this cool magic trick because of the ever-so-easy prep completed beforehand. Here's what you'll need to do. 

You already have the supplies needed for this illusion, right? Two identical white envelopes, tape, and 10 paper clips. What could be simpler?

Linked and Non-linked paper clipsMove in closer to study those paper clips. Notice that five of the paper clips have been linked together and five of them are loose? Well, my dear friend, therein lies the trickiness of this trick. Hold on to your alacazam. I'll show you what I mean in just a moment.

Neatly tape the envelopes together with the flat, address sides touching. See the two open flaps opposing one another?

Before David called his audience together, he slipped the linked paper clip chain into one of the open envelopes flaps. That sneaky monkey...

David concealed the trick's secret while performing this illusion by carefully keeping the side of the magic envelope containing the paper clip chain close to him while he dramatically dropped  the loose paper clips into the empty side. When he put the magic envelope behind his back, David switched it around causing the paper clip chain side to face his mesmerized audience. Once again, he was very careful to keep the secret side of the magic envelope concealed as the dazzled crowd beheld the linked paper clip chain periously dangling from his fingertips.

W-H-O-A.

I know...the thrill of this trick is a far cry from pulling real rabbits of out of fancy hats. Look on the bright side. Have you ever cared for a rabbit? If so, then you know that, with this trick, the clean-up is a whole lot easier!

This week let's have a bit more magical fun, shall we?

Most of us don't have a silk top-hat or a furry white, pink-eyed rabbit sitting around the house to use as Simple Saturday supplies, do we? Fear not. We can still make some major magic using only two white envelopes, ten paper clips, and some tape.

Truly...that's all we need...two white envelopes, ten paper clips, and some tape.

Simple, right?

You bet.

So, go on . . .hop, hop, hop around the house, gather up these supplies, and meet me back here tomorrow morning. 

Poof!

This week let's have a bit more magical fun, shall we?

Most of us don't have a silk top-hat or a furry white, pink-eyed rabbit sitting around the house to use as Simple Saturday supplies, do we? Fear not. We can still make some major magic using only two white envelopes, ten paper clips, and some tape.

Truly...that's all we need...two white envelopes, ten paper clips, and some tape.

Simple, right?

You bet.

So, go on . . .hop, hop, hop around the house, gather up these supplies, and meet me back here tomorrow morning. 

Poof!

Ready to bamboozle even the most die-hard cynic? You have the supplies, right? The 3 lids, the quarter, the tape, and your head? Actually, we only need a single hair from your head, not the whole bowling ball. 

Go head. Grit you teeth and pull out one of the longest hairs you can find. Oh, hush....it doesn't hurt that bad.

Here's the sneaky part...where the "magic" of the trick lies. Tape that strand of hair onto the quarter.

Shhh. Don't tell anyone. That piece of fuzz is the key to performing this trick. Here's how we'll do it.

Gather up some kids. Tell them to prepare to be bamboozled. Explain that you have x-ray vision and see through metal. Ask for a volunteer from the audience to assist you in performing this astounding trick. Lay the quarter, hairy side down, on the table.

Okay, listen up now. The next step is very important.

Cover the quarter with a lid, being certain that the strand of hair is sticking out from under it. You can see the hair. Your audience will miss it.

Tell your assistant that, after your eyes are closed, to gently shift the lids around, altering their placement.  Once that is done, open your eyes. Explain that, in order for your magical x-ray vision to be fully effective, you must peer very closely at the lids. Lean in and look for that strand of hair sticking out. Ta Da! You did it. You found the quarter!

That's all there is to it! Simple, huh?

Now, if only finding the ball under those whirring Jumbo-tron baseball caps could be this easy. Sheesh.

Have you ever been bamboozled at a major league baseball game when trying to keep your eye on the tiny red ball placed under one of those  three baseball caps whirring  across the  Jumbo-tron screen? You know...the game where you have to guess which hat the illusive ball is under? I swear, as hard as I try to keep my eye on the ball, I never guess it right. Those hats buzz by so quickly my baby blues get crossed!

Well, let's create our own bit of bamboozle-ation, shall we? Tomorrow gather up 3 small lids (I'm going to use baby food jar lids), a quarter, some tape, and your head. That's right. I said your head. However, if your hair style is that of the buzzed variety, we might need to borrow someone else's head, momentarily.

Until tomorrow...

Oh, how our feathered friends will love you for making these. They truly will.

Remember what we need to make Bird Necklaces? Yarn, tape, scissors, and the oh-so-delicious-and-not-very-nutritious Froot Loops?

(I can't tell you the last time I have eaten Froot Loops. Too long, pal. Way too long. When I opened this box that amazing fake fruit smell assaulted my nose and made my mouth water like a summertime sprinkler. Yum! Yum!)

Your sewing tip should look something like this when you're finished. Well, all we have to do is cut a piece of yarn about 12 inches long, or so. Next, make a sewing tip with a piece of tape. Just wrap the tape around one end of your piece of yarn and you're golden.

And now, simply string Froot Loops until your piece of yarn is nearly full. Tie the ends together. Snip off the excess yarn and tip. Whalla! You have made a Bird Necklace.

 (If you're lucky, like I was, a  number of the Froot Loops will be stuck together and cannot be threaded onto the string. Oh, gee...there was nothing I could do but eat those, right?)

Make lots and lots of Bird Necklaces. Then simply step outside in your backyard and hang them on your trees. Trust me. The word will spread in the bird world. You'll have tons of feathered friends nibbling at those necklaces before long.

Tweet. Tweet.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I might make myself a little bowl of cereal for a wee midnight snack...

Ready for one of the absolutely simplest-yet-oh-so-much-fun-to-watch-once it-is-finished Simple Saturday activities? Now, when I say simple, in this case, I really, really mean simple. And this one is especially fun to do with a bunch of people together. So gather up a crowd and let's make a winter-time delight known as Bird Necklaces.

All you'll need tomorrow is yarn, tape, scissors, and cereal that has a hole in the center. Cheerios work well, but my most favorite is Froot Loops. Not only do Froot Loops make a fabulously colorful finished product, they taste so darned sweet and good.

See you later, Tweetie.

Today's activity couldn't be easier or more fun. You've got the goods, right? The clear bottle, water, funnel, cooking oil, glycerin, and food coloring?

To make a Liquid Sandwich use the funnel to fill the bottle one third full with water. Drip 4 or 5 fat drops of food coloring directly into the water.  Fill the bottle another third of the way with the glycerin and lastly with the cooking oil. That's it! What could be simpler?

Look at the way the liquids separate, will you? Like a liquid sandwich, wouldn't you say? The bottom layer is oh, so glycerin clear. The middle layer is oceanic blue topped of with sunny golden cooking oil. Kind of poetic, isn't it?

A word of warning, though. To keep these distinct layers separate you will need to handle your Liquid Sandwich with care. I wouldn't shake it up, if I were you. When it gets shaken the glycerin mixes with the water. The end result is something like the Ocean in the Bottle we made a few weeks ago. It's cool and still fun to play with, but the clear glycerin layer is gone...or is it? 

Where does it go? Why does this mixing of liquid layers happen, you ask? What is your hypothesis? Something to do with the molecular structure of the  liquids, I'll bet. You think?

You know, my Simple Saturday friend, this activity would make a dynamite project for your school Science Fair. Of course, you would have to do a wee bit of research to explain the scientific reasoning behind the liquid separation. Wouldn't it be fun to study the science behind an activity as fun as this one?

Isn't that what the scientific process is all about? To find out more about something that interests us? Don't we state our hypothesis, or our own reason why we think something is happening, and then set out to prove it?

Well, go for it, Einstein. Let me now what you find out!

A sandwich is all about layers, right? Yummy stuff layered between two or more slices of bread. Something hearty you can sink your teeth into...substantive, scrumptious, splendiferous.

Well, forget about a sandwich like that one. Tomorrow's will be one of the liquid variety. Liquid, you ask? How can that be? Gather up the following materials and I'll show you what I mean. You'll need a clear bottle, water, a funnel, cooking oil, food coloring, and some glycerin (You can buy glycerin at the pharmacy for cheapo. In fact, a while back we used some to make Monster Bubbles, remember? You might have a some left over from that project. I did.).

See you tomorrow! We'll have some simple fun then.

Photos taken by Tony Kuyper A quote from Flood's Sand to Stone and Back Again,  "I shelter deer, pack rats, antelope, and bats. And hikers, like you, or long ago, the Ancient Ones. In my canyons the built their homes, painted pictures, carved messages, and left handprints."

Pretend that you are an Ancient One living hundreds and hundreds of years ago in a cave located in the great Southwest with a desire to communicate, to express yourself artistically, or to just have some Simple Saturday fun! Let's take our Styrofoam meat tray, scissors, tempera paint, small art brush, small something to carve with, and piece of paper and roll back the hands of time, shall we?

Here's what we'll do:

Cut Styrofoam meat tray into 3 X 5 in. pieces. Carve a petroglyph into one of the small pieces. (Petroglyph is another word for cave art.) Brush tempera paint onto the petroglyph stamp. Press stamp onot piece of paper.

Great Gods! You've created cave art!

Study the cave art in the photos above. What ones speak to you? What do you think the Ancient Ones were trying to say? Be a Anasazi and create your own image, you little Simple Saturday wise one.

Tomorrow's Simple Satruday is inspired by Nancy Bo Flood's From Sand to Stone and Back Again.

In the book, Nancy speaks of the Ancient Ones, "...People who lived hundreds and hundreds of years ago," who "...painted or carved rock art on cliffs or in caves." Well, in true Simple Saturday form, why don't we make our own cave art prints. Sound like fun?

So gather up a styrofoam meat tray, some tempra paint, scissors, something sharp to carve with like a nail or a toothpick, a small art brush, and a piece of paper and let's step back into time and replicate the artistic wonders of the Anasazi...the Ancient Ones.