Making a center pull out yarn ball

Have you ever had a skein of yarn that just is in knots.  Its pukes out a pile of yarn every time you pull some out.  So frustrating and slows down my crocheting.  I usually make them into yarn balls, but then the roll all over and its a pain.  I searched for a solution, make my own center pull out ball.  There are quite a few tutorials out there, which is helpful.

 I didn't take pictures of my process, I was too busy winding and winding and winding, it was a lot of yarn.

Here is one I looked at for help: Knits With Balls

All you need is your pile of yarn barf and a paper towel roll.  Drop the end of the yarn into the roll, this will be your start. Then you lay the length of yarn about midway down the roll and start wrapping the yarn around to hold the start in place.  Don't do it too tight.  I covered almost the whole roll twice, moving up and down the roll as I wrapped it.  Then I started going diagonally, then following the previous row of yarn.  It took a long time, but see how nice and neat it turned out.  Its staying together very nicely and pulls out perfectly (so far).

Rainbow Rice

I have seen lots of different sensory tub activities.  There are so many ways to make them: beans, rice, rocks, pasta.  A while back I saw a blog showing how to dye rice to make a rainbow rice sensory tub.  Decided to give it a try.
You just need rice, food coloring and rubbing alcohol or vinegar.

The instructions can be found here: My Little Alberta Family

The only thing I did different was I mixed each color in a plastic baggie so I didn't have to deal with mixing (and slopping it all over the counter)

Here is the rice before the drying process:

It was so colorful!  He loves playing with it.  He kept putting his feet in it and burying them.

And then he dumped it on the floor when I turned my back...Have since put in a different container and put him on a big sheet for easy cleanup.