Negative leaf print by one of my second grade students earlier this year. Hey, guys! This post has been very popular on my blog...if you are interested in other leaf-y projects, look at my Leaf Relief project and my Pressed Leaf Project as well. Thanks! I don't know what it's like where you live, but here in Tennessee, we are experiencing spring-like weather. For the most part. I mean it did snow the last two Saturdays (and, in Tennessee, "snow" means just a few flakes and a couple of inches) but the other day it was 78 degrees. Crazy, right? For that reason, I've got touch of spring fever. You too? Well then you might enjoy this leafy printmaking project I did at the beginning of the year with my second graders. It's simple, scientific, beautiful and fun...okay, enough talking about me (!), on with the lesson. For this project, you'll need the following: gelatin, not Jell-o. Most grocery stores carry a brand called Knox which sells in boxes of 16 pouches. cookie sheets printmaking brayer, sold at most craft stores printing ink variety of leaves paper Print pulled from the same printing tray, this time the positive version. The night before you begin, you'll need to prepare your sheets of gelatin. To do that, bring about 3-4 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, whisked one pouch of gelatin into the pot. You don't want any clumps of gelatin, so whisk like there's no tomorrow. You'll end up adding about 12-15 pouches of gelatin into that one pot. Sorry, I'm not into exact measurements. Which could explain a lot about my cooking. If there are any remaining unwhiskable clumps, remove them with a spoon. Pour mixture into a cookie sheet filling it about 1". Leave uncovered over night. If you see any bubbles in the cookie sheet, pop them or remove with a spoon. For my class of 20 students, I made three trays. Pulling the first print always managed to get oohhhh's and aahhhh's aplenty. The following day, we were ready to print. The surface of the gelatin was squishy yet very firm, perfect for holding our printing ink. I think I can explain this best in steps, so here you go: Using a brayer and printing ink, cover surface of gelatin in ink. Place leaves onto the ink-covered cookie sheet with the veiny side down. I don't recommend using anything with pine needles because that will puncture the gelatin. But experiment, you never know! Once leaves are in place, lay paper on top of cookie sheet and rub (er, we call it "massage") the paper. Pull paper off, as you see in the above photo, and viola! You have your first print! Notice how clear the gelatin looks. All of the ink that was once on the tray is now on the paper. I love her dainty fingers pulling up the second print. So sweet. Now for the second print: Gently remove all of the leaves from the tray. It's best to pull them out by the end of the stem. Place a new sheet of paper over the now-empty cookie sheet and rub. Pull second print which will be a positive image of the first. Looks like a black and white photo, don't you think? Once both prints have been pulled, re-ink the tray and begin the process all over again. With a class of 20 students and 3 pans of gelatin, about 10 kids were able to print per half an hour class. The pans of gelatin can last about two days with an endless amount of printing. I tried to cover the gelatin and keep it for a little longer, but condensation droplets created strange little craters on the surface. If left uncovered for too many days, it begins to dry and crack. For that reason, if you plan to do this project for longer than a couple of days, you'll just need to prepare more gelatin pans the night before. Our second go-round of printing involved using white ink on black paper. Just as pretty. This project is so easy and the results so stunning that everyone is successful. I've now had a couple of craft get-togethers and this is always a hit. Once those leaves start growing in your neck of the woods, I do hope you'll give it a shot! I love the photo negative quality of this print.

If you're looking for the coolest things to do in Bordeaux, France, look no further. Everything you can't miss while visiting Bordeaux!

All the coolest things to do in Levi. Expect the best restaurants, accommodation & Levi activities to make your trip the best it can be. Reindeers galore!

This guide will help you make the most of your weekend in Riga, visit all the main attractions and eat your way through Latvian cuisine.

a mini alternative Lisbon guide with a map of some of the coolest spots in the capital of Portugal

Want to enjoy some unique things to do in Marrakech? Then check out this local's guide to 21 non-touristy things to do in Marrakech right now.

Rome is home to unique neighbourhoods full of character. From Tridente to Garbatella here are the coolest areas to visit in the Italian capital.

Looking for the coolest things to do in Chattanooga TN? We grew up going to Chattanooga often, and these are our favorite spots.

I am not a good couponer. I admire those of you who are good with coupons and can walk out of the grocery store with $100 of groceries for only $8.46. I’ve tried – believe me, I’ve tried. Twice now, I’ve subscribed to the newspaper and diligently collected the coupons. I read the websites, see ... Get the Recipe

Look no further than the first set of images by Tammy Horton Photography for one of the coolest DIY projects I've ever come across – a ceremony backdrop handwritten by the couple on a long roll ...

Planning a vacation to Maui? Here are my 15 "must do" experiences. I've included popular experiences (hey, they're popular for a reason!) like snorkeling at Molokini, driving the Road to Hana, and seeing the sunrise from atop Haleakala but also more "off the beaten path" things like my favorite restaurant, the best town to shop in and a sure fire spot to find sea turtles! Let me know what you think...what's your favorite thing to do on Maui?

Wondering what to do in Whitehorse? Here are my recommendations on where to eat, what to do, and why visit the incredible capital of the Yukon. Enjoy!

It was almost 12 AM when we first landed in the Slovakian capital. Although a little tired and hazy, we couldn’t wait to start exploring. But first things first, we were wondering what to do in Bratislava? Ah, well this is what this story is about. How we knew nothing of Bratislava before our arrival, how we fell in love with a new city, admired old squares from above, ate the best pancakes for dinner and made friends with other visitors.

I’ll never be over this project I did for Dick Clark.💿 I was hired to create a jewelry line using cd’s sitting in their warehouse, & we even had an in store setup at Bloomingdales & was about to...

Yup, there’s a natural waterslide nestled in the depths of Waipio Valley, and many people consider this glorious gem to be one of the Big Island’s best kept secrets.

Want to have a truly original New York holiday? Embrace these non-touristy things to do in NYC and you’ll fit right in with the locals.

The best areas to stay in Montreal according to a local. Includes an overview of the best Montreal neighborhoods to stay and visit during your trip.

I've always thought the PocketMod was the coolest thing. It's a little 8-page pocket booklet that you make with a single sheet of paper. You can even use paper that's already been used on one side! This is how I recycle the old papers that have gone through the printer ~ the misprints, the papers I don't need anymore, and the flyers that end up in my mailbox at work ~ ~ any old sheet of paper that is still blank on one side. I have the folding and cutting instructions down pat, so it is really easy to do. I started by using the templates that are already available on a couple of different websites, here and here. You can create calendar pages, various lined pages, graph paper, music staves, guitar tab, even games like Sudoku. You configure your PocketMod with whatever you want on each page, print it out with your printer, and fold & snip, and you're good to go. But you don't have to print any pre-designed forms. You can just use blank paper, if you know how to fold it. (When I do this, I first make an extra fold in the paper, lengthwise, and then unfold it ~ then I know where to make the cut.) I recently had a bunch of stuff printed on one side of some 11x17 paper that I didn't need anymore, and rather than throw the paper away, I made up a bunch of "Super PocketMods" ~ little folded booklets of blank pages, but twice as large as the regular PocketMod. These will be handy to use taking notes while reading, and I can use the Super PocketMod as a bookmark. Recently I read this webpage, which listed the top 10 cool (and hopefully, productive) things you can do with paper. That led me to read about how one clever person made her own custom-designed pages into a PocketMod, for logging her travel information and workout routine while on the road. That inspired me to figure out how to make my own calendar pages, with my appointments already printed, so I don't have to write them out by hand each week. I never like the one-kind-fits-all kind of planner page. I want mine to say "Dance Card." So I finally figured out how to do it. Now I am no longer limited to the pre-designed templates I've found on the web! I have mastered the ability to print up whatever I want, and make it into a PocketMod. If I could shrink my entire life into eight pages, I could use this as my planner, and not have to use an Amish PDA. This would be great! Life would be so simple. I'd just have to be careful not to lose it! Unfortunately, I can't shrink my world that much, but I thought maybe I could still use a PocketMod in conjunction with my PDA. So I made up a PocketMod with a week of daily planner pages ( my "Dance Cards"). I did it as an 8-page Word Document. I discovered that you have to use a pretty large font (over 20-pt), or it will shrink so small you can't read it. On the "cover" of the PocketMod, I printed up a chart of my "SuperFoods" covering the entire week. I am not sure how well this will work, because there isn't room to keep a food log, as I've been doing, but maybe all I need is a checklist. We'll see how it goes. The rest of the pages are "dance cards" ~ one for each day of the week. Since many of my appointments remain invariant each week, I do not have to keep editing this document a whole lot. Each weekend, when I do what passes for a "Weekly Review," I can open up the last week's Word Document, change the dates, and make any necessary adjustments in the schedule. My work has me in two different locations, mostly, so I color-coded my appointments. The things I do at the college are in blue, the ones at the church are in lime green, and everything else is in pink. I also printed some times in pale pink, to indicate that there is a window of time available during which I might get something else done. At the bottom of the Dance Card pages, I have printed my "runs this week." In the one shown above, I am planning to do four runs ~ 5, 8, 5, and 16 miles. When I have done one of those runs, I cross it off, on all the remaining pages for that week. ( Probably on Monday, I will run five miles, so I will cross one of the fives off on each page, leaving me with 8, 5, and 16.) Converting the 8-page Word document into a PocketMod is an easy procedure. First, it has to be converted into a .pdf document. (I use "ClickToConvert.") I guess if I were really advanced, I would compose the document as a .pdf to begin with, and I think there is some free software for that, but I haven't explored it yet.) Once it is in a .pdf format, you can run it through the "PDF to Pocketmod" program, available here. This automatically shrinks it down to one page and puts it in the right configuration to print for your booklet. Once it is printed, you do the folding, make one little cut, and you're done! Any appointments you make after you have printed it can be added using a pen or pencil. And I figure that if I have too many things to fit on a schedule this size, I am just too busy. It keeps me realistic. To use the PocketMod with my PDA, I get the hole-puncher out, and punch a hole in the lower left corner. Then I apply a durable tab labeled "Next Week" so I don't get confused. The PocketMod for this week has a yellow durable tab labeled "TODAY," which I stick on today's dance card page. I keep two PocketMods in the planner at one time ~ this week's, and next week's. As I go through the day, I usually make little journal notations of what I did that day. Then I can archive my old calendar pages in a 3x5 box ~ having a journal like this can come in handy sometimes. I have also made two PocketMods for the "monthly calendar" section of my PDA. For that, the pre-designed templates were good enough, although someday I might find a reason to go to the trouble of making my own. I am sure I will continue tweaking this ~ I am a tweakaholic, and the danger is that I spend too much time tweaking, and not enough time doing ~ which defeats the purpose of having a system in the first place. I am aware of that, but I allow myself to have fun with the tools on the weekends, and the tools help me get stuff done the rest of the week.

Whether it’s tango, football, music, or eating steak and wine, Buenos Aires has something fun for everyone.

Freetown Christiania travel guide including opening times, directions, rules and facts. Read these Freetown Christiania tips before visiting.

Once an overlooked city in the heart of flyover country, Kansas City is quickly becoming a Midwestern hotspot for vacationers looking to experience the best of America’s heartland. It might not be the biggest city, but what it does, it does extremely well, from the downtown arts and nightlife scenes to the excellent bars and restaurants (hello barbecue!) Read on for not-to-miss food, drinks, shops, and sights in this slice of the Midwest.

Looking for the top activities and stuff to do in Guntersville, AL? Click this now to discover the BEST things to do in Guntersville - AND GET FR

SO many cool things to do in Havana. Here are just 50 of the best activities in Havana, straight to the point and easy to read. Have fun!

Mount Fremont Lookout Tower was one of the coolest hikes I've done! You can't beat these views of Mount Rainier and the rest of the Cascades.

Picture this: I am getting away from the stress of downtown

How to build an adorable DIY bar cart from a single board of construction lumber! Includes video and building plans!

Whitechapel's one of the best parts of London. With art, street food, shops, and even a farm - here are the best things to do in Whitechapel.

Small Town Washington & Beyond is the travel resource to discover the best small towns, outdoor adventures, foodie finds and unique accommodations.

Along Maine's picturesque coastline, Ogunquit has been my cherished hideaway for many sunrises and sunsets. With its quaint population of just under a thousand, it promises a serene escape from life's relentless pace. As someone who's proudly called Maine home for years, I've had the privilege of experiencing firsthand the…

Visiting Chicago for the first time? Here are the 12 coolest things to do in Chicago for first-timers that guarantee you the best time!

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Utah Caves: Looking to go exploring caves in Utah? This list includes the best caverns in Utah to visit.