ATTACK OF THE CRAFT

Craft projects for Baby Hoot's room

2011-11-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

Despite my best efforts, the nursery wasn't completely done before Baby Hoot arrived. But I did manage to finish a couple of projects. Once I get the rest done, I'll post photos.
As I posted earlier, I'm using an owl print for my inspiration. Most of the bedding and decor from the boys' nurseries is blue, green and yellow, so this was a perfect fit.

Paper lanterns are a very popular and very cheap alternative to mobiles. I think I spent a couple of bucks on them.

Owl mobile. I had some felt left over from my felt owls, so I decided to try an owl mobile. I created a very simple template and cut out two pieces per owl and glued them together. I thought about putting some batting in them, but opted not to. I machined stitched them together, but I might have done a neater job with a blanket stitch. I had the google eyes an glued them on, along with a circle cut from cream felt. I had a wooden dowel I cut in half and tied together with some ribbon. I added felt to the ends of each rod so that the monofilament I used to hang the owls didn't slip off. I hung it from the ceiling with some thin cream ribbon.

Owl painting. Continuing my owl theme, I painted three "night owls" in acrylic on canvas. The owls represent my three boys. The stylized owls give a modern and playful feel without being too babyish.

Baby Hoot is here!

2011-11-13T13:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a photo of our newest addition. It's been three weeks and we are all enjoying getting to know him, especially his big brothers.

Rice Krispie Treat Bugs

2011-09-28T12:24:00.000-07:00

Tater turns the big 6 tomorrow, so I brought treats to share with his class today, since he's out of school the rest of the week. I made these last year for his pre-K class, accept this time I added a layer of chocolate. I just melted some chocolate chips and spread them over top. They were a big hit, though a little messy. When it's Monkey's birthday in a few weeks, I'll probably forego the chocolate.

I made two batches which worked out to about 32 treats. I cut them in rectangles and wrapped them with plastic wrap. I attached googley eyes with glue dots, because I ran out of time to use glue. I then attached a pipe cleaner to each to create antennae.

Where have I been??

2011-09-24T22:07:00.000-07:00

It's September, and I've neglected my blog for months! Turns out getting ready for a baby cuts into your blogging time! Well, I've been very busy painting, planning, prepping and, of course, crafting. But before I get to all the big changes at home, I wanted to show you some kids crafts.

Thanks to my impeccable conception planning, baby Hoot is due to arrive three weeks after Tater's birthday and two weeks before Monkey's. We've spent the last couple of months moving the boys to new, separate rooms and renovating our garage, and the idea of planning a kid birthday party for them seemed a bit overwhelming. Oh, and then there's the whole I'm-totally-exhausted-because-I'm-pregnant thing. So, we decided that we'd celebrate the boys' birthdays before Hoot arrives by doing a fun, but simple and affordable trip with our family to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The boys were totally cool with it. It takes most of the day to get through the exhibits and catch the dolphin show. And we haven't taken the boys there in a couple of years. They don't even remember going. After our visit, we'll head back home for pizza, cake, ice cream and presents.

So, I've decided to do some ocean-themed crafts with them to get ready for our family day. I had some left-over crafts from VBS this year. The theme was Son Surf, so crafts were inspired by the beach and sea life.

1. Sea Life Visors: Tater made his at VBS, and Luke got to make one when we did the same craft with our play group at church recently. The one above is my example. I bought a bunch of blue foam visors, and attached precut blue craft foam waves with hot glue. Then, I gave the kids a bunch of cross and sea life foam stickers to decorate it. This was a great project for the 3-5 age group. And they might be coerced into wearing them to the aquarium.

2. Sea Stars: Another craft foam craft. I purchased precut stars in a variety of colors, along with some clear plastic lace. I made a loop and glued some lacing to the top of a star and added 5 longer pieces to the bottom. I then glued a star of the same color on top of the other one, sandwiching the lacing between them. I dotted the glue on one side of the star and let the boys add sequins. They added pony beads and bells to the longer strings. I had to help them tie the ends.

3. Rainbow Fish: This is a pre-K/K craft staple and super easy to make. First, take the indispensable paper plate and staple/tape a fin, head and tail out of construction paper to it. Next, cut out pieces of tissue paper, construction paper and a few piece of foil that will be "scales." Add glue to the plate and let the kids add as many colorful scales as they would like. Oh, and don't forget googley eyes if you've got them. Tater's is blue. Monkey's is green.

Girl's Dress

2011-07-08T09:19:00.000-07:00

I made this simple summer dress for the new daughter of a friend of mine. She's two, so I made it a 2T. It's my first effort with this pattern, but it was pretty easy to follow - and it's free! It actually flares out more than the photo shows. She might be too small to wear it this summer, but maybe next.

More Necklaces

2011-07-07T00:48:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple more necklaces I've made. The first is more of a collar than a necklace.
It is inspired by olive branches. My mom would say that green is not my color, but I really don't care. I've always wanted to make an olive branch necklace. This one took several tries, but I like the way it turned out. The other is a longer necklace made with small multi-colored glass beads. It goes with just about anything.

On The Rocks

2011-07-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

They say you forget about how much pain you went through during childbirth. Not true for me. I remember all 40 hours with Tater. I also remember how hot I was being pregnant during the summer. You'd think I'd learn the first two times, but here I am again, spending my third trimester in the heat of the summer. Well, I decided one way to keep cool, at least psychologically, is to think of cold things. So, I made some necklaces that reminded my of ice, snow and frost. The first is a combination of flat teal-colored glass with frosted silver beads.

The other necklace is made of large white quartz beads with clear beads covered with a wire frame. At first I made the quartz necklace with about a dozen of the large beads. After wearing it for a few hours, it became so heavy my neck started to ache. So, I took it apart and made it a little lighter. I like it better and have been able to make more necklaces with the rest of the beads.

Hydrangeas

2011-06-30T01:01:00.000-07:00

Hydrangeas are one of my favorite flowers. These are from my Endless Summer hydrangea. It turned out pretty well this year, even though the peony plant next to it only managed to produce one bloom. It was a glorious bloom, but I've decided I'll just need to move it to a sunnier spot in the fall. Last year, my hydrangea was a little purple-y, so I added a few pots worth of coffee grounds to the bush back in the spring. From what I understand, alkaline soil makes them pink, while acidic soil turns them blue. And what's more acidic than coffee? Well, the experiment worked and I got some beautiful blue blooms. I couldn't take a decent photo of them indoors, so I set them on a table on the front porch. I'm sure my neighbors think I nuts (as if they didn't already). I've managed to have several bouquets of blue hydrangeas thus far this season. Few things make me so happy as fresh cut flowers in the house.

Felt Owls

2011-06-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

I made some felt owls for yet-to-be-born baby Hoot. My mother's side of the family are Gibsons, and boys in the family were nicknamed "Hoot" after a famous cowboy named Hoot Gibson. As my married name begins with an L, I thought it might be fun to give #3 the initials O.W.L. and call him "Hoot." O.W.L. didn't go over that well with my husband, but he liked the nickname Hoot, so that's what we're calling him.

I came across the idea for these cute critters here. I had some beat up foam balls that I used. My first attempt was the black and brown one, since I already had the felt. Not really appropriate for a nursery, but I have a neighbor who will appreciate it. The "feathers" are about 1 1/2 - 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.

I went and bought some more for these two. I kinda wished I had gotten a more orangey yellow for the eyes. Speaking of owls, I found this cute Robert Kaufman owl fabric that I'll have to incorporate into the nursery somehow. I found it on etsy.com.

There's a coordinating argyle print that I'm thinking of using for the crib skirt.

Boy or Girl?

2011-06-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

I got this cute cake idea from my husband's cousin. It's not my best cake decorating attempt, since I was in a hurry trying to make it before dinner, but it still tasted good. We told the boys if the inside was blue we are having a baby boy. If it's pink, it's a gril. Tater really got into it. "It's a boy!" he shouted as he cut into the cake. Monkey was more interested in just eating the cake. It was a delicious and memorable way to let them know. I know they are both very excited about having a new little brother.

Dinnertime! Pepper-Crusted Steak Wraps

2011-05-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

There are some things I miss about receiving the daily Washington Post in print form. The thing I miss most is the food section. I can look at it online, but it's just not the same. This yummy recipe from the WashPo is great for a casual dinner or pool party. Summer is almost here! Pepper-Crusted Steak Wraps. It has some of my favorite ingredients: steak, fresh basil and avocado. Tater wasn't too keen on the wraps, but Monkey ate most of his. Go figure.

The Garden in May

2011-05-17T21:27:00.001-07:00

Spring is finally here and things are blooming and growing. The boys and I finally got around to planting a vegetable garden.

A few weeks ago, we sowed some mesclun lettuce seeds in an old under the bed storage bin and have enjoyed some delicious salads.

We used a small sandbox to plant beans (on the outside), radishes and carrots in the middle. The radishes look good- a great vegetable for the immediate gratification gardener, but I don't have much hope for the carrots. I built a small (4x2 ft) raised bed garden out of some old wood. We planted some peppers, butternut squash, cucumbers, and zucchini.

On the other side of the house in a small bed near the unsightly hvac and water meter, I planted few tomatoes - a gift of our green thumb neighbor. It's been raining a lot, so I hope we have a great crop. I planted a few herbs too: cilantro, basil and thyme.

Our lavender and mint has come back too. I love the wonderful mingling of aromas as I walk around the backyard. The boys are very excited and enjoy checking on the progress of our vegetables every day.

My lovely Siberian irises are growing. I divided them last fall and planted a big clump in the front. They did not disappoint. Twice as big as last year. I just love the way the purple just pops. These are in the backyard.

Dinnertime!

2011-05-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

I used to love to cook, but I haven't had the time or the energy to whip up something fabulous lately. However, I have decided to get myself out of the recipe rut and start making more interesting dinners. Here's what we had last night...

Garlic-Chile Shrimp Skewers with Peanut Noodles and Broccoli.

The boys liked it all. Peanut butter with spaghetti?! What could be better!

Tater's Ironman Bedroom and Monkey's Transportation Bedroom

2011-05-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to plan the boys' new rooms. I know it's months away, but surfing online is much easier than actually painting and moving furniture.

Tater loves Ironman, so I decided to use the colors (red and gold) as a theme. That way, if Ironman falls out of favor I won't have to redo his room. IKEA has some great bedding.

Luke's is this I like that they are similar, but distinctive. This is a poster I plan to hang in Monkey's room. It's from a National Book Festival we went to a couple of years ago. Jan Brett illustrated the poster, and I think its wonderful.More to come...

Pirate Festival and Nursery Plans

2011-05-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, we took the boys to a local Pirate Festival. We had a great time. I've been trying to improve my photo skills, and I took this one of parrots I really liked. Every pirate needs a parrot, right? I've been thinking of hanging photos of places we've been as art in the boys' room. Now, that we plan on have a third, I'll need photos for a nursery! That's right, I'm about 17 weeks pregnant. We'll have to play musical rooms with boys moving downstairs to separate bedrooms. #3 is getting his/her own room. I don't really have a theme in mind, since I'm just going to use stuff we had from the boys. I did a Classic Pooh theme, but painted over the murals. Just as well, I was getting sick of them. The bedding and other items had a color scheme with blue, green and yellow. I think those colors will work for a girl or boy. I think I'll include the parrots, since #3 came along for the adventure. Here's some of the things I'm planning in the nursery...

I love this cross-section green fabric, but not sure where to use it. Bed skirt, maybe? I'm going with a breathable bumper this time.
Our old crib was recalled and rickety anyway, so we're getting a Gulliver bed from IKEA.

Green fabric bins for our Closetmaid shelves.

Train Rag Quilt

2011-04-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

The boys currently sleep in a Kura bunk bed from Ikea. We love it, but bed making is a chore for Tater who sleeps in the top bunk. I made a train rag quilt that fits over top of his bed. No tucking required. I used three different types of fabric. I think it looks better than an exposed fitted sheet with his blanket folded at the foot of the bed. I gave up on a flat sheet for him long ago. It ends up wadded down at the end of the bed.

Visit to G.G.'s

2011-04-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

We drove to Nashville for Spring Break and stayed with my mom, G.G. to the boys. They loved her big backyard. I have yard envy. I really took for granted as a kid what a great yard I had to play in.

Puppet Madness!

2011-04-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

I made another set of puppets for our growing children's puppet ministry at church. Here's the first set. This set is a little larger, but very similar to the first. They are (from left to right) Dee, Cy, Paul and Chip (a dog). Discipleship. Get it?! Don't worry. It took me a while too.

We have had nothing but positive reactions to our puppets shows. Older kids (3-7 graders) perform short skits for the younger kids (pre K- 2nd grade). Those little ones are just mesmerized by these puppets. And I have to say that this has been a wonderful creative outlet for me and such a great opportunity to share the message of Christ! I think I've been more blessed by this experience than the kids have been.

However, Tater and Monkey were a little jealous that I was making all of these puppets for the church and not for them. So, I decided to make them a couple. Meet Mr. and Ms. Green!

Taggie Blanket #4

2011-03-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

I made this taggie blanket for a dear friend who just had a little girl. Similar to the other taggies I've made, but I used two coordinating fabrics for the top layer. I think this makes it a little more visually stimulating.

Rag Wreath

2011-03-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

There are so many fun holidays in the spring, but I don't have the inclination to make a front door wreath for each one. So, I decided to make a spring color wreath. I couldn't decided what kind to make, and I didn't want to spend much money. Luckily, I had a lot of fabric scraps. I also had a foam wreath, so I decided to try a spring rag wreath. I cut strips of fabric 1 inch wide and about 10 inches long. I loved my rotary cutter for this project. I wrapped the strips around the wreath, double knotting them. I repeated this until I had filled the wreath. It took about two hours. Very simple.

Transportation Diaper Cake

2011-03-13T18:41:00.001-07:00

I came across this photo while trying to sort through all of my digital pics. I made this several years ago for a friend expecting a boy. I picked up the wooden pieces at Michael's along with the wide navy blue grosgrain ribbon. I remember that they loved it, I just wish I'd taken a better photo. Now, back to organizing!

Up and away!

2011-03-03T05:16:00.000-08:00

I painted this little canvas for a very sweet girl who loves pink and purple. It's 14 x 11 inch gallery wrapped canvas. Stretcher bars are 3/4 inch thick.

I painted around the edges, so it's ready for hanging. I attached a simple brass hanger on the back.

Dog Puppet Tutorial

2011-01-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm making some puppets for a new puppet ministry beginning at the church where I attend. I've never made puppets before, so it is a learning experience. I had so much fun making them that I thought I'd share the process. I'm actually planning on making some for Tater and Monkey, since they were so taken with them. These will be used by kids in the 3rd-5th grades, so I tried to size them to fit. You might want to make them bigger for an adult. These are easier than they look. If you can use a glue gun and a sewing machine, you can do it.

I found an excellent video tutorial here. So, check it out if you need clarification. Oh, and please give feedback in the comments.

Materials:

1 yard anti-pill fleece (I can make four puppets from 1 yard)

sewing machine

matching thread

hot glue gun

black felt

2" styrofoam balls

pom-poms

craft foam sheets (red for the tongue, black for eyes)

1" thick urethane foam sheet (the furniture quality, high density green stuff ) - 7 x 7 1/2 inches

poly-fil foam (for pillows)

thin corrugated cardboard - 4 1/2 x 6 inches

rubber cement or spray adhesive

1. Create a paper pattern for the puppet. You can play with the size and shape.

2. Cut it out and lay it on fabric (two layers). Most anti-pill fleece has a rough side and a smooth side. I used the smooth side for my people (see bottom) and rough side for the dog. I found that the rough side is easier to work with, and there isn't a noticeable difference between the two in the finished work. There are other types of fleece available at fabric stores, so make sure you're buying anti-pill. Pros use a product called antron fleece, but that can me difficult to find.

Draw around the form with a magic marker, leaving at least a 1/2 of fabric around the shape. I didn't include the fingers in this, since it's a dog. It's easier without the fingers, anyway.

3. Sew two pieces together following the outline. Leave an opening at the bottom. Cut out the form leaving about 1/4 inch around the edge. Be sure to cut around the stitched line and not the drawn line, since they may not match up exactly.

4. Turn inside-out. I used a chopstick for to push out the "paws."

5. Fill the hands/paws and arms with the poly-fil. Chopsticks or pencils work for pushing around the filling. A little poly-fil goes a long way.

6. Now the mouth. Cut a 4 1/2 x 6 inch piece of thin corrugated cardboard for the mouthplate.

Use rubber cement or spray adhesive to attach the same size piece of black felt to the cardboard. Don't use hot glue. You want an even coating of glue, so that the felt doesn't pucker. Score the middle of the cardboard so it folds evenly and round off the edges to form a mouth.

7. Determine where to put the mouth by laying the felt on the face of the puppet. At either sides of the fold, mark on the fleece with the pencil.

8. Using the marks as guides, cut a line across the face. Careful, only cut into one side of the fleece!

9. Insert the felt into the puppet. Overlap the fleece about 1/2 inch over the felt and begin gluing all along the edge with a hot glue gun. Dipping your finger in some water when pressing down on the area you just glued will save you from burning your fingers. Make sure things are lined up right as you work your way around the mouth. And you may have to snip a little more fleece to make it fit, but the fleece has some stretch to it. Don't cut too much at a time.

10. Now, get the urethane foam. This will be used to form the head. I had some thicker foam on hand, but I think the 1 inch thickness would be easier to work with. Cut out the 7 x 7 1/2 inch piece. You might have to trim it a little to get the head shape you want. Cut out a v-shaped notch in the center of one of the long sides.

Fold the foam in half at the "v."

Then fold the corners in and insert the foam in the head of the puppet. This takes a little finagling. The inverted "v" will be the back of the head. The front will fill in the forehead and cheeks.

11. Next, attach nose and eyes with hot glue. In my people puppets (below), I cut one of the styrofoam balls in half and covered it with fleece for a nose. For the dog puppet's nose, I used a black pom-pom. The eyes were also styrofoam ball halves that I hot glued on. For the people, I wrapped fleece half way around the dome for eyelids. I then added some craft foam circles I painted black, attaching them with hot glue as well. Keep in mind that hot glue melts the styrofoam.

12. I cut out a 2 x 3" piece of red craft foam in a heart shape for the tongue. The ears were simple ovals cut from a darker brown fleece. I attached those elements with hot glue as well.

These are the finished puppets. As you can see, I lined the mouths of the people with felt for lips. I did this because I went a little crazy with the hot glue on the first one I did and wanted a finished look to hide the globs. I added it to the rest of the people for consistency. I think they'd look better without "lips," but I'm learning as I go! Good luck!

I used (in order) yarn, a black marabou boa and fake fur for puppet hair. Also check these sites for more inspiration and information.

http://www.projectpuppet.com/

http://puppetsandstuff.com/index.php

Storage Solution Odyssey: Part 2

2010-12-27T19:00:00.001-08:00

Here is my latest storage solution for my boys' room. As you can read in this post, I've had a hard time finding cheap and sturdy storage for the Closetmaid shelves I purchased at Target. I had a bunch of diaper boxes about the same size and decided they'd fit the shelves. I began by cutting the flaps off the top of the boxes. I wrapped them with gift wrap like a present, leaving enough paper (about 2'') to fold inside the boxes. I used double sided tape on the outside for a cleaner finish. I then cut and wrapped clear contact paper around the boxes for extra durability, wrapping the bottom and a few inches inside the box. They have held up really well. This is also a great way to incorporate their interests without a big investment. As their preferences change, so can the boxes. And if/when they do get destroyed, I'm only out a couple of dollars.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-27T17:01:00.001-08:00

So, I was not as dedicated to craft-making this year as I was last year. I did manage to make a few things. But a nasty cold and the usual demands of the holiday season delayed my posting of holiday crafts. So, here they are... a few days late.

I was suddenly inspired one late night while watching The Wrestler to make a fabric Christmas tree using a styrofoam cone I had. Not entirely sure what those two things have to do with each other, but this was the result. I'm not blown-over by it, but it is something I can put out and not worry if it gets destroyed.

We moved our tree to the den/family room this year. Usually, we put it in front of the big picture window in the living room, so you can see the lit tree from the street. But we figured it would be easier to corral toys if we had them in the den. The fireplace is in there too, so we can do stockings and presents all in one room. It worked out relatively well. Some ornaments broke, some were rearranged. I don't think any ornament higher than 4 feet stayed put. My little elves love to rearrange them. Oh well, it was worth it to have both boys get the Santa Claus thing this year. These are the magic years, and I know they'll go faster than I'd like.

Anyway, back to the crafts. I hung this green wreath in front of the window. I used a bunch of green ribbon I had on hand.

I hung some snowflake garland and green ornament balls from the chandelier for a festive touch.

Puppets

2010-12-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

I'm blessed to have friends that completely overestimate my crafting skills. However, it does encourage me to stretch myself a bit. My newest challenge is creating puppets for a puppet ministry at church. I found this very helpful series of videos online. What I love about this guy is that he thinks and explains things the very same way I would. I know it drives left-brainers crazy, but he provides just enough foundational information to let you experiment.

So, I decided to give it a try and made one from stuff I had around the house. And, yes, it does concern me a bit that I already had the supplies I needed to make a puppet. My husband's reply when I told him? "Not surprised." I'm a bit of a pack-rat.

I did use regular fleece, but I'd recommend (as do the pros) anti-pill fleece. The boys christened him "Nicky." I have no idea why. I'm working on the actual puppets I need to make, now that I have some idea what I'm doing. Note I said some idea.

Autumn Themed Shower: Li'l Pumpkin

2010-11-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

I made another of my diaper cake/taggie blanket combos for another expectant mom. Her shower was in October, so we had a lil pumpkin theme. Here are the favors I made:

I took mini pumpkins (jack-be-nimble, I think) and painted them with glitter paint. I found some glitter tulle that I wrapped around them, and then tied with an orange organza ribbon. I believe there are very few things that can't be improved with glitter. :)

Here is the autumn-themed diaper cake, adorned with sunflowers:

And here is the taggie blanket I made for a girl, but I it could be for a boy, too. Pretty gender neutral:

Pressed Leaf Placemats

2010-11-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

This is a fun and super easy project.

Materials:

construction paper

clear adhesive shelf paper

scissors

rule

leaves

The boys and I went into the backyard and collected leaves. I cut four sheets of the shelf paper of the same size slightly larger than the construction paper. I pulled the backing off two of the shelf paper sheets. The boys arranged the leaves on the sticky side. I laid a piece of construction paper on top, then peeled and arranged the other shelf paper on the back. I sealed it by attached the overlapping shelf paper. Trimmed edges.

Superhero Party

2010-10-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Tater had his big 5th birthday party this weekend, and I must say that it was a smashing success! We had a superhero theme party at our house in the backyard. We saved a lot doing things ourselves. Thank goodness the weather was nice. Here are some of the things we did (and didn't) do...

1. No presents. The no-present party is more controversial topic than I imagined. On the invite I put, "No gifts, please. Your presence is the greatest gift." Some think it flat out rude to request no presents on the invite. Some think it's false-altruism, "we're less materialistic than you." Others think its perfectly fine. Here's my main reason: I'm lazy. I just didn't want to deal with the opening presents thing. Tater wanted a lot of friends over, and we didn't even get to invite everyone he wanted. We can only hold so many preschoolers! But I told him that if we invited lots of friends, we'd open presents the night before. He was fine with it. We had a family party the previous night where Tater opened gifts from family. He got a lot. He and Monkey are the only grandkids on my husband's side. And my parents give them loads of stuff. Christmas is just around the corner, and my mom alone gives them more stuff than they can play with. Plus, they fight over everything, especially when it's new. And I just didn't want to deal with the "hey, that's mine!" arguments. They are also hard on toys, and I'm just so tired of throwing out broken toys. I wanted it to be one big play date, where the kids can run around, have fun and pretend. I did have a few parents mention that they would have liked an opportunity to remind their children of the importance of giving by picking out something for their friend. I get and appreciate that. But with the economy so bad, I didn't feel comfortable with folks feeling they had to bring something. I wanted to come across as saying, "Hey, parents, let's save ourselves some money and a trip to Target. Besides, they just want to play with one another anyway," but there wasn't enough space on the evite for that. A couple of people brought gifts, and they were greatly appreciated. We opened them after our guests left. I think we won't do the "no presents" thing again. Live and learn.

2. Paperless invitations. We went with an invite on the newevite.com. Worked well with our superhero theme and FREE!

3. Wearable favors. I made capes for our guests to wear. No, they are not that hard. I found this site with suggestions on a pattern. I appliqued a gold felt star on the back of each. The kids really liked them. I got a lot of, "you made those!?" But they aren't exactly that complicated. Sew two pieces of fabric together. Leave an opening. Turn inside out. Press. Stitch around the edge. Add velcro. And I don't think they cost more than other favors to make. On average, I spent about <$2/cape.

4. Superhero games. I'd love to take credit for this as well, but another creative mom came up with these games. I printed out the little jpegs she had online. They were very low-res, but no one cared.

- Lava Pit - filled an old sandbox with red balloons. Kids had to cross a bridge over it. This is a post-party shot. Most of the balloons had been popped.

- Leap Tall Buildings - we set up boxes for the kids to jump over.

- Kryptonite in the Batcave - We draped our swingset with tarps and black tablecloths creating a "batcave." The kids had to retrieve the "kryptonite" which were glow stick bracelets. They loved this.

- Mighty Muscles - I made barbells out of styrofoam balls. The kids took turns testing their strength. Here's Monkey demonstrating his strength.

- Vaporize a Villian - This was probably the most fun. We tacked pictures of villains on the wooden fence and gave each child a can of silly string. Some had a hard time pressing it down, but with a little help, they got the hang of it. Our bad guys were Darkseid, Syndrome, Emporer Zurg, The Joker, The Green Goblin, Catwoman and Mr. Freeze. I found pictures online and just printed them out.

Other than the balloons, silly string, and tablecloths, there were no other expenses. I had everything else already.

5. Superhero cupcakes. I love cupcakes. I found a website called superherostuff.com with jpegs of superhero pins. I printed some off of Batman, Spiderman and Superman, cut them out and glued them to little flat sticks I found at the craft store. The toppers were about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. I topped the superman ones with yellow frosting and sprinkles. Batman had chocolate icing; he is the dark knight, after all. And spiderman cupcakes were frosted white, and then I drew three concentric circles in black sparkly icing. Taking a toothpick, I began in the center and dragged it through the icing several times to the edge, forming a web. They were very fun to make. And they were very popular with our guests, especially with ice cream.

I spent little on the cupcakes, as well. Liners, wooden picks, cake mix and store-bought icing. Although, this project might have convinced me to get a circle cutter!

6. Yummy appetizers. I went with primary colored paper goods. I made some sausage pinwheels and spinach dip. I picked up some ginger cookies, hummus, pita chips, tortilla chips, salsa, fruit and veggies at the store. We served tea, lemonade, water and apple juice (in boxes). It was pretty simple.

7. Handmade decorations. I made "pow!," "zwapp!" and "bam!" signs out of poster board and hung those up inside and outside. I'm sure they'll spend some time on the boys' room walls.

In all, it was a great time. And we didn't spend that much to do it. A little online searching and planning, and we had a memorable day. My big guy had a great party and lots of fun with his friends. That made it all worth it - just to see that smile!

Storage Solution Odyssey: Part 1

2010-09-15T21:43:00.000-07:00

So, I've had an ongoing and unsuccessful search to find the most indestructible, attractive and affordable storage solution for the

Closetmaid Cubeical shelving units.

I purchased 2 units, one 6 cube, the other 9. The obvious first choice was the fabric drawers that fit nicely into the 12 x 12 x 12 inch cubes. So, I bought some. And they worked... for a while. Now, the drawers are just fabric with some flimsy cardboard, which of course was no match for the boys. I swear they could be product testers. Those wouldn't do. I went about looking for more options, and found a few, but none met the necessary requirements:

1. Would not cause major bodily injury if item was thrown and struck a child. Notice I added "major." Bodily injury of the milder sort is too often an occurrence here. That disqualifies all heavy, rigid materials like wood or metal. I looked high and low for plastic bins, but couldn't find any the right size.

2. Affordable. Yeah, I'm not paying 40 bucks for storage that will hold my boys' matchbox cars.

3. Not ugly. This is when handmade storage can go bad. But did I let that stop me? No!

I concluded one day that the diaper boxes I buy would fit into the holes. So, I went out and bought some gift wrap. I wrapped the outside and bottom, and left a few inches to fold over into the inside of the box. The diaper boxes come with the cut-out handles, so I cut and glued some red foam sheets around the handle to reinforce it.

Thus far, it is an adequate storage solution. The gift wrap has held up longer than I thought. In subsequent projects, which I'll add later, I wrapped clear contact paper around them to protect the paper. It is inevitable that the boxes will get destroyed, but I'll only be out a dollar or so for the tape and gift wrap.

My New Favorite Online Cookbook

2010-09-08T20:41:00.000-07:00

I've found myself in a cooking rut lately. I've got about a dozen recipes memorized that I put into circulation, mostly to make grocery shopping easier - the same things, every week. Then I discovered myrecipes.com, and more specifically, their 1 list, 5 meals under the "quick and easy" tab. They put 5 tasty and easy meals together and a shopping list that you can print out! I'm on my second week. I can recommend weeks 5 and 10. I made watermelon and feta salad (see above) last night (it's really good, I promise), which beat having chicken casserole or spaghetti for the umpteenth time. And it's encouraged my boys to try more things. They're actually not very picky, but this helps.

Dyed Noodle Necklaces

2010-07-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

I've seen several blogs and websites with instructions about dying noodles. I decided to make some for the kindergarten and 1st grade classes at VBS, and they loved them! I divided up the noodles in plastic veggie trays, so the kids could reach them.

Materials

Hemp string (it's stiff and strong which makes threading much easier)

Food coloring

Baggies

Assorted noodles

Rubbing Alcohol (this sets the color so they don't bleed and noodles keep their shape and firmness)

Put the desired number of noodles in a sandwich baggie. Poor in about 1 - 2 tablespoons of alcohol. Add a few drops of food coloring. Seal the bag, swish around the liquid until all noodles are coated. Leave in for 5 - 10 minutes, until desired color. I poured the noodles into a colander and reserved the dye. Dry the noodles on a paper plate. It might take a couple of hours to dry.

Repeat process for as many colors as you like.

Another Monk's Bag

2010-07-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I decided to make a smaller monk's bag. I love the first one I made, but I had some fabric I wanted to try. I made some throw pillows for the guest room bed out of the floral. My husband claims it has a Korean design influence. I'll take his word for it. He's the one with the Asian History degree. I used three kinds of fabric. The floral and dot printed fabric are Alexander Henry designs from Jo-Ann's. The red is a poly-cotton blend I already had with a little stretch to it. The inside strap is the dot fabric. I do like it, though it is flashier than what I usually wear. I added pockets to the outside and inside, four in total. These are really easy bags to make.

VBS Crafts

2010-06-28T13:44:00.000-07:00

My blog's a little dusty, since I've been neglecting it recently. I've been wrapping up my moms club duties, and it's taken some time. And now I'm gearing up for Vacation Bible School! I'm the craft lady. That's what you get for starting a craft blog. I'm so thankful I did, because in addition to using the crafts that came with the curriculum, I'll be mining my blog archive for craft ideas. Nothing like using old standards. I like the ease of use with the curriculum crafts, but they're not that open-ended, and I want to give kids some options. The theme is Planet Zoom, with a "bee" figuring prominently in the visual aids and crafts. The age is kindergarten through the 6th grade. I'm going to have a craft associated with the Bible story for each day along with two stations. One for card making, which I'm going to send with my next package of stuffed animals to troops stationed in Afghanistan. The other station is for pom-pom bugs, especially bees.

For the K - 1st grades, I'm going to be working on the hive/bee thumbprint craft. This should be lots of fun with minimal mess. One of the days will focus on Jesus feeding the 5,000. I thought this would be a good time to work in my pom-pom sundae crafts, using them as an opportunity to show Christ's love by making a treat for someone they love. I might also use the craft foam sandwiches too, since one group can make sandwiches, while the other makes sundaes. I'll probably do this bee craft with them as well. Or this, which might be easier.

The older kids will do the curriculum crafts, but with the option of making keychain critters from pony beads. Of course, I found instructions for a bee. I also need to rummage through our halloween supply for my bee costume. I thought that would go over well with the kids.

Well, I'll let you know how it goes. Bee good.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (New International Version)

⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Joshua 1:9 (New International Version)

⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Potty Power: Part 2

2010-06-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

So, Monkey's getting around the potty-training age, so I dug up the potty chart I used for Tater. See here for more info. I had all kinds of frustration trying to train him, but this really worked. I'm not as stressed about Monkey getting it. I got way too wound up in the fact that other kids were potty trained, and Tater wasn't. I needed to just take a chill pill, because it's perfectly normal for some kids to take a little longer. In retrospect, I think I felt my inability to potty train him reflected poorly on me as a mother - as if I needed something else to feel inferior about! Tater got the potty thing by 3 1/2, thanks to this chart. Monkey's only 2 1/2, so I know he'll take an interest in it when he's ready.

I think a lot of the hesitancy with Tater was his need to assert his independence and control over the situation. I've no doubt Monkey will be just as strong-willed and assertive. I'm ready this time. I added some things to the new chart. Here's the updated version. Click on the image for the full size:

Taggie Blanket #2

2010-06-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

I made this one for a girl...

See here for another example. Some folks have been telling me I should make and sell these on on etsy or something. I actually think that would be fun, since they are quick and fun to make.

Diaper Cake

2010-06-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

I made this and a taggie blanket for a very sweet expectant mom. It's so lovely to make pretty things for wonderful people, isn't it? After two boys, she's having a girl. I decided to go with a bug theme, using the butterflies on the invites for inspiration. It's a gender neutral theme, too. The baby shower was so much fun. I was so glad to be a part of it.

Here's how you do it...

Materials:

Diapers - size 1, you'll need the 100 + count

Big piece of corrugated cardboard

Aluminum foil

Grosgrain ribbon, 1 1/2 inches wide

Wood shapes or artificial flowers (3)

Cellophane

Curling ribbon

Hot glue gun and glue

Instructions:

Cut out a big cardboard circle. I used a big platter as a template. I covered it with aluminum foil.

I used size 1 diapers, since babies grow out of the newborns so fast.

Fold diapers in half and group into three's, tying together with curling ribbon.

Arrange the sections with folded sides out.

Tie sections to each other with ribbon.

Once you have a nice circle that covers your cardboard base, fill the center with diapers.

Begin a second tier using the same method, but make smaller.

The top tier is a little trickier. I alternated two diapers tied together with individual folded diapers. This helps better control the roundness. But don't stress too much; it all comes together with the grosgrain.

Wrap the bottom layer with the grosgrain ribbon. Make it snug. Use opaque ribbon to hide the curling ribbon. Glue ends together with hot glue. Repeat with other layers.

I picked some adorable little bugs to decorate the layers and cover the overlapped raw edges of the ribbon. You can also use large fake flowers like gerber daisies, as well. Adhere the embellishments to the ribbon with hot glue.

Wrap that sucker with cellophane and tie off with curling ribbon. This makes a really big statement without much expense. The ribbon was about $4. The wooden cut-outs were about 6o cents a piece. Altogether, it costs about $30 to make. It can also make for a nice centerpiece at a baby shower.

15 minute Super Hero Cape

2010-05-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

The boys have been into super heroes lately; Superman, Spiderman, Batman, The Incredibles have all come up during their play. And honestly, what boy hasn't wanted to be a super hero? Sure a towel and a clothespin could do, but I wanted something with a little more finish.

A few years back, my husband and I agreed we needed a Christmas tree skirt. I bought a simple red felt one for 5 bucks. He bought a nicer red and green velvet-type one. We use his. The red one's been languishing in the bottom of a box of holiday decorations until recently - when I got the idea to make capes out of it. It took me 15 minutes to make 4 capes for the boys.

I began by cutting four equal wedges out of the tree skirt. You'll notice it has some decorative edging, but I didn't really mind that. I like felt because you don't have to worry about finishing edges. I knew there was a pretty good chance these would be destroyed in a couple of weeks, so I gathered some old ribbon from a gift we received some time ago. The ribbon's yellow with red writing that says "thank you." I figured that was appropriate for a super hero with all the rescuing they do. You can also add embellishments like initials or emblems, but I haven't gotten around to that yet.

I took the point of a cape and folded it over about 4-5 inches. I created a channel about 2 inches wide for the ribbon to slip through.

Then, I secured the ribbon by stitching it to the cape at the ends of the channel openings.

It is a great size, because it's not too long and it fans out... very cape-like.

Voila! Here's Tater modeling it...

And here it is in action...

Another addition to a fun and growing dress-up bin full of pretend-play potential. A few moms pointed out the choking hazard of the tied straps, so I ended up cutting them down and adding velcro to the ends.

Sleepers Awake!

2010-05-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

I hope I shall never tire of the arrival of spring, when perennials peek through the soil and return like old friends for an extended visit.

lambs ears

pink rose

siberian iris

hosta

Horn Tooting...

2010-04-30T12:23:00.000-07:00

I'm in the Washington Post. But the photo is terrible and it was a local edition, so it isn't that exciting. My local paper did a story about my local moms club. I happen to be serving as president this year, so they interviewed me for the story. I guess my town newspaper is an affiliate of WashPo or something, so it ran in the county edition. Believe me, my county could use all the the positive press it can get.

I thought I dodged a bullet when the article appeared in my local paper, since it featured our event performer and another club member with her baby. But a few days later, a mom in our group says to me, "Hey, you're in the Post." Crap. Nothing like the entire world knowing you still haven't lost the 50 lbs you gained from your first pregnancy. And don't you just love florescent lights? My boobs look huge, so maybe that takes away from my enormous double chin. Oh well, this is how I look. It's given me motivation to go to the gym more.

The story is nice, though I told them my husband's out of the Navy now. It says some nice stuff about our club, and we do try to make an effort to welcome and serve people in our community. I'm proud of the things we did this year and enjoyed serving on the board, but I'm looking forward to my time being up in June. Now, I'm off to do some crunches...

Azaleas

2010-04-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

We moved into our home 5 years ago during the late winter, before the azaleas' bloomed. We were surprised a couple of months later to discover that previous owners planted four different azalea bushes in the front beds in four different colors: coral, lavender, fushia and purple. I love color, but it might have annoyed someone who preferred a simpler color scheme in her flower beds. The rest of the year they are evergreen shrubs, but in early spring, they bless us with a dazzling array of color.

Recycled Fire Truck

2010-04-25T13:08:00.000-07:00

A few days back it was raining. We had picked up Tater from preschool, and I was racking my brain trying to come up with an activity to help pass the afternoon. Monkey has been crazy for fire trucks lately, so I decided we should try our hands at building one.

I came across this website a few weeks ago and was really impressed with the things she does with her kids. It did make me feel like an underachiever, but the blogosphere tends to do that. At least it's not Facebook, a perpetual high school reunion that doesn't serve alcohol. I've never made my kids a giant space ship out of foil and boxes. I don't make my own play-doh. If that makes me less than a terrific mom, so be it. I decided not to be too hard on myself, because I've embraced the fact that crafting with kids will be yet another thing someone else does better than me.

I gathered some boxes and went through the recycling bin. I assembled paint and brushes. I told the boys to get to work. I knew they'd get paint all over the floor, but it was due for a cleaning. We painted a packing box and shoe box, and I glued them together with my glue gun. We painted small plates for wheels, a steering wheel and headlights that I glued on. And I hot-glued various gizmos on one side and added a ladder made from craft foam to the other.

We had a couple of larger boxes that served as the fire station. I swear Monkey spent 30 minutes moving the fire truck in and out of those boxes. Tater observed that any decent fire station had an ambulance. So he set to working painting another moving box, but he puttered out by the time he got to the third side. Our fire truck lasted about 2 days before they started ripping things off. A day and a half longer than I thought it would.

Almost Guilt-Free Key Lime Pie

2010-04-25T13:05:00.000-07:00

I made this last night, and my guys loved it...

Ingredients
1 reduced fat graham cracker crust
1 (4 servings) package sugar-free lime gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
1 (8 ounce) container fat-free whipped topping
2 (6 ounce) key lime pie yogurt
Directions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
2. Stir in yogurt with wire whisk.
3. Fold in whipped topping with wooden spoon.
4. Spread in crust.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Camilla

2010-04-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

My mom sent me a camilla bush for my birthday last year. I planted it in the front, since it likes shade. It took a beating with the snow, and I had to cut some broken branches. I was afraid it might not make it, but it put out a few beautiful white flowers. I cut one for the mantel. I can't decide between the camilla or peony as my favorite flower, but I certainly appreciate the resiliency of the camilla.

Taggie Blanket

2010-04-12T17:28:00.001-07:00

A dear friend just had her second child, so I decided to make him a little taggie blanket. I had about a yard of black watch tartan fabric that I had purchased a while back for some reason. I guess I just liked it. Being a child of the 80's, I've got a thing for plaid. Being Scot-Irish helps too, I suppose.

I cut a 22" square piece of fabric (pre-washed, of course). I cut 4 inch strips of ribbon. I folded them in half and pinned them to the fabric. I lined the raw edges of the ribbon up with the raw edge of the fabric, loops toward the center. I stitched all around the edge about 3/8" to secure the ribbon.

I cut out a wonderfully soft minky dot fabric 22" square. With right sides together, I sewed around the edge using a 1/2" stitch. This hides the ribbon stitches. I left about a three inch gap to turn it inside out. I pressed the edge so the fabrics lined up nice, then stitched around the it again with a 1/4" stitch. The finished blanket is about 21 inches square. I also made a matching burp cloth using the same technique.

I hope baby A enjoys it. My boys loved tags. I even made one for Monkey.

Easter

2010-04-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

Remember when Easter was a simple holiday? My family would get dressed up for Easter Sunday. In the afternoon we'd have an egg hunt in the backyard.

This year the boys went to at least 4 egg hunts. We didn't even get around to the crafts I planned for them with all the activities. I guess that's okay, since they'd rather run around than do a craft anyway. But every holiday has become more over-produced. I think my mom thinks I'm nuts with all the activities and events the boys participate in. Maybe she's right. But I mean well. I don't want the boys to miss anything. I want them to have a variety of experiences.

We got the important stuff right. During lunch, Tater gave us the preschool version of Christ's resurrection. Unprompted, I must say. Immediately following, Monkey began singing "Jesus Loves Me." I don't think you can ask much more than that.

Afterwards, I gave them their Easter pails. I decided big pails were more practical than baskets with all the digging they like to do. I added some sand toys since they really enjoyed a recent trip to Chesapeake Beach. I threw in some candy-filled eggs and a pinwheel. We covered all the bases. Now, on to the next holiday...

Daffodils

2010-04-02T17:15:00.000-07:00

After a long winter with LOTS of snow, I was surprised to have as many daffodils come up as we did. I planted a big patch of bulbs with day lilies interspersed, to hide the daffodils as they die back. That was about 4 years ago, and they are still doing well. I even had enough to decorate our Easter table. Spring has finally arrived!

More Napkins!

2010-03-30T14:20:00.001-07:00

I made more napkins. Here are the ones I did previously. Four from each pattern. Blue is the dominant color, mostly because I heard blue is an appetite suppressant (well, at least I'm trying). They are also 12 x 12 inches. The cloth napkin thing has worked out really well, as long as I stay on top of the laundry. These have been washed a few times. They are just so cheery on the table, and go amazingly well with the boys' spiderman placemats! Who'd a thought?

Hiding the Loo

2010-03-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

Here is a way I addressed letting light into our downstairs bath without giving the neighbors a view. I made a simple valance out of a bold print and covered the bottom of the window with clear contact paper. It is holding up very well, considering all the humidity in the bath. This bathroom is really small, like airplane bathroom small, but it's mine, all mine.

Neckrings

2010-03-29T14:05:00.000-07:00

I put this on one day, and Monkey says, "Nice neckring, Mommy." I like making simple jewelry. This pairing of red-orange and turquoise is one of my favorites.

2010-03-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

boy (boi) n. a noise with dirt on it

Somewhere over the rainbow... they have jello

2010-03-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

There are few things in life that I enjoy more than the look of surprised joy on the faces of my boys. Such was the reaction when I set these cups of rainbow jello in front of them for dessert. I topped them with whipped cream as "clouds" and vanilla wafers as "gold coins." I get pretty excited about St. Patrick's Day, so this seemed a fun way to celebrate.

Last year, I made rainbow jello in a trifle dish, but it just didn't look as pretty scooped out onto a plate. It also makes a terrible sucking sound when I used a metal spoon, like the sound of a rain boot being pulled out of a deep mud puddle.

I used 12 plastic cups and five packages of jello for this. It takes a couple of days to complete, since you have to wait for each layer to set before adding the next.

St. Patrick's Day Window Decor

2010-03-09T12:21:00.000-08:00

Here is a simple project for St. Patty's. I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make two shamrocks on foam sheets. Kids could help draw the outline or cut out the shapes. I punched holes in them and joined them with ribbon. I hung them on a suction cup hook on the window in my studio.

Monk's Bag

2010-03-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

I found a great tutorial over at the Purl Bee on making a monk's bag. This seemed simple enough, and I've had an upholstery weight fabric I've been wanting to make into a bag. I'm not a great sewer, though I think I'm improving with each subsequent project. I made Halloween candy totes for the boys, but this was my first real bag.

I'm on my second OiOi diaper bag. I really like it, but the strap has started to tear away from the fabric, again. It's also pretty bulky. It has a nice wide strap, but it can get uncomfortable. Tote bags roll off my shoulder, so I needed something I could wear like a sling to keep my hands free. I found some functional options, but they all had a hiker look. I wanted something that was casual, but not utilitarian.

I widened the center panel about 4 inches and extended the strap 4 inches in length. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

I added pockets to the outside and inside. Must have pockets! I used a plain muslin for the lining. The outside pockets are nice for keys, cell phone, lotion, etc. The inside provides plenty of space for the boys' essentials and my wallet and planner.

I went to the craft store for a rotary cutter...

2010-03-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

...and I got these foam firefighter hats, too. We've gone through a couple of the flimsy plastic firefighter hats, and these look like they'll hold up a little longer. I picked up a firefighter vest for Tater, since Monkey had a jacket from Halloween. The boys love pretend play, but I think I love watching them play more. Firefighters, construction workers, engineers, race car drivers, pirates - it's just too cool to see how easily they can take themselves into a different world.

That's what art-making and craft-making do for me. They take me to my right-sided brain to recharge and dream. A few bucks on a couple of hats can do the trick for them. Their enthusiasm and imaginations encourage me to always seek news ways of seeing and exploring... and, of course, appreciate the endless potential of cardboard boxes.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess!

2010-03-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

My moms club put on a great birthday party for Dr. Suess. I drew a picture of The Cat In The Hat on poster board, and kids had their picture taken in front of it. We drew outlines of our feet and read The Foot Book. We had a whole pile of Suess favorites that moms read aloud. We ended it with celebratory cupcakes. The boys kept wondering where Dr. Suess was, because who misses their own birthday party?! Well, I told them he passed away, that he was in heaven. We've had a few elderly neighbors pass away, so we've had a few discussions about that. We had a great time, and it was a wonderful opportunity to encourage kids to read.

Good Stuff...IKEA Easels

2010-02-27T23:00:00.000-08:00

We bought this for our boys for Christmas, but it stayed in storage until recently. They received SO much stuff. They were really overwhelmed. We got it out recently and set in a corner of our play/family room. It's a big hit. And get this... it was $15! Price other easels, and you'll see what a deal it is. One side chalkboard, the other dry erase board. It's got a dowel for holding a paper roll. The boys can both play with it without fighting. Yeah for me! It's a win-win. So, if you didn't like IKEA already, here's another reason.

Handprint Hearts

2010-02-25T21:08:00.000-08:00

Our moms club had a sweet Valentine's Day Party. I wanted to share a simple, but adorable craft that we did. Handprints are always a great activity. They are great keepsakes to mark the growth of your little ones and get them directly involved. Large red hearts were cut out with construction paper. They were glued to white heart doilies. I'm sure you could use circular ones, too. Then, the hand prints were made using a sponge roller dipped in white paint rolled over hands and pressed onto the red heart. Let dry.

Countertop Education

2010-02-25T14:18:00.001-08:00

At a recent moms club meeting, we had an educator speak to the group about preparing your child for preschool. One thing she said really stuck with me, "School is your back-up plan." She meant that children get their real education at home. Whether we are conscious of it or not, we teach our kids every day. So, I decided to be more proactive about teaching my kids. I know I fail miserably at a lot of things, but I think I scored a point this morning...

I decided that I'd start putting out fruit in a bowl on the counter. I've had a losing battle with weight all my life. Though I work out at the gym, I have a serious challenge with portion control. And carbs, especially sweet carbs are my downfall. My mom told me once that I'd eat chicken potty if it had sugar sprinkled on it. Since I am so visual, I thought putting a bowl of fruit out would encourage me to choose healthy snacks and model that example for my boys.

After getting them dressed, I sent the boys downstairs to play while I got ready. When I came down to make breakfast, they were each munching on their own crunchy gala. I about fell over dead. So, I'm hoping that I'll find other ways to teach my kids with my countertop.

Pecan-Crusted Tilapia

2010-02-20T18:24:00.000-08:00

I don't make fish nearly as often as a should. I made this tonight, and it was just yummy...

4 Tilapia fillets

2 T butter

1.5 T honey

2 T Dijon mustard

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

2 t finely chopped parsley

lemon wedges, optional

Preheat oven 45o˚F. Place tilapia in lightly greased 13 x 9" pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and honey. Stir in mustard. Brush on fish. Combine bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley. Spoon evenly over fish. Bake 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Garnish with lemon.

Makes 4 servings

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T22:09:00.000-08:00

Hearts and Tigers and Bears, Oh my!

2010-02-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

We are snowed in - like we ain't leaving the house for 3 days snowed in. Snow drifts 3 and 4 feet deep. I decided this might be a good time to do our February craft project. This year, Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year fall on the some day. Last year, we did a shape recognition project making animals using hearts. Here's the panda template, but there are links to other heart animals here.

I decided that doing a panda again would be a fun way of tying the two days together. Then I realized it was The Year of the Tiger, so we made tigers too! The website doesn't have a tiger template, so I improvised. I made mine a little bigger, so the boys would have an easier time gluing. Of course, Monkey couldn't resist trying a bit of glue stick. I know a lot of kids are like this, but he'll eat play-doh, glue, and even suck the ink out of a marker if he gets the chance, but turns his nose up at a green bean! Oh well.

We made some of the other critters too: ladybugs, butterflies and mice. By the way, despite appearances my children are very happy little boys, they just NEVER smile when a camera is in their face.

Here are the materials:

Construction paper
Glue or glue sticks
Scissors
Googly eyes
Elastic strips for a mask

Exact-o knife

Cut out all the heart shapes. Older kids might enjoy this as well. We took some of our tigers, cut out eyes and attached elastic string for masks. I punched holes in the sides for the string, but that broke pretty easily. I ended up stapling the elastic to the paper several times.

They even liked them as visors.

After a good deal of roaring around the house, they requested a jungle. I used a green sheet to make a jungle fort. They collected a bunch of their stuffed animal buddies and curled up inside. Tater observed that the jungle smelled like monkeys, and it turned out his little brother had a dirty diaper. It didn't seem to bother either of them. I guess it seemed logical that the jungle would smell like poop.

Anyhow, that is what we did with the better part of our snowy day. I have a feeling we'll do these again.

We didn't get to the zoo in time to say goodbye to Tai Shan, but once the weather clears up, we're planning on a trip to stop by to see the other pandas and maybe a tiger or two. We might bring our masks along and practice our roaring skills.

Double Sided Apron

2010-02-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

My least favorite time of the day is 4:30pm. It's when the boys wake up from naps, if they nap. It's also when I have to think about making dinner. Before kids, I'd spend hours preparing meals; making reductions, baking cheesecakes. Last week, I broke down and made tuna casserole. TUNA CASSEROLE! It's the last lap of my day. I have 1 1/2 hours before hubby gets home. The boys slowly began their meltdown. And along with contemplating dinner, I consider the sink full of dishes afterward. I kinda have a bad attitude about it.

Partly, the winter is to blame. I think I have a little seasonal effective disorder or whatever its called. I don't like it getting dark so soon. We've also had unusually snowy weather. We're expecting our second big snow soon. 2 feet! I love snow, but not Buffalo, NY, snow. I needed a little more color in my life.

I saw some cute aprons at various sites, so I thought I take some cheery fabric I had and make my own! Now, at least I have a splash of color and pattern to get me through. I'm going to make some more for friends and family members.

To Make:

1. I cut two pieces the same size, about 26 x 20 inches with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. I didn't wash my fabric first, so I accounted for a little shrinkage. I folded it over and cut an arch out of what will be the bottom of the apron. You can skip this part, but I like the curve.

2. Putting the right sides together, I sewed around the apron using a 1/2 inch seam. I left two holes about 3 inches wide at the top of both sides of the apron. This way, I can turn the fabric inside-out and slide in the straps. Press with a hot iron.

3. For the straps, I cut two strips of fabric 26 x 4 inches long. I folded them lengthwise, right sides together and pressed them. I sewed around the straps with a 3/8" seam, leaving one end open. I turned them inside out, pressed them, and slid them into the holes.

4. Finally, I sewed all around the apron about 3/8 inch from the edge for a finished look.

Here are some photos...

Handmade Napkins

2010-01-29T10:10:00.000-08:00

I decided to sew some napkins. I'd like to go paperless in my kitchen, but I've become too dependent on my paper towels and Clorox wipes for cleaning up. So, I'm hoping this will balance some of it out. Plus, it is a nice way to add some cheery fabric to your table. I cut 12 14 x 14" pieces of fabric for my napkins. Some dinner napkins are larger, but I feel like I'm covered in a sheet. I folded each edge over 1 inch and pressed it with a hot iron. To save time, I used heavy card stock and marked a line one inch from the edge to measure the fabric. I then folded in the raw edge and hemmed around the edge at about a 1/2 seam. I'm planning on make some more. Cotton fabric does shrink after washing, so consider this when deciding on the size.

Orange Yogurt Cake

2010-01-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful no-fuss from-scratch cake. It also is small, so you won't have a two-tiered frosting covered monstrosity staring at you for days saying, "eat me." My boys love this as a special treat. It's nice and light. I even served this at dinner party. I've modified mine from a Martha Stewart recipe...

Prep: 10 min Total: 35 min

Makes 1 8-inch cake

Cooking spray

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 Tbls orange juice

1 tsp orange liqueur

1 8 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained

Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray pan. Combine all ingredients, except oranges and powdered sugar. Pour into pan. Bake about 25 minutes. Let cool.

2. Dust top with powdered sugar. Garnish with orange segments.

A Tail of Two Piggies...

2010-01-13T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know that is a horrible pun. Since the economy is in a downturn, I thought a craft about saving money was appropriate. I guess everyone is feeling a little pinched one way or another, and I don't exactly live in an inexpensive area. It's unseasonably cold and poor Monkey has a cough, so I decided to break out the craft supplies. I thought the new year would be a good time to introduce my boys to the concept of saving money and hopefully encourage me to set a good example. So, we made piggy banks. We started by using recycled items (a great way to save money). See, I'm doing it already! Here's what you'll need...

Materials:

Plastic container with lid (peanut butter or mayo jars work well)

Paint

Acrylic varnish/medium

Brushes

Foam sheets, construction paper or felt

Wine corks

Box cutter or exacto-knife

Glue: tacky glue or use hot glue gun

Chenille rods/pipe cleaners

Google eyes or black dots made from a hole punch

Begin by painting the outside of the container. The boys chose pink. Paint the lid, if you wish. Paint cork. Luckily, I had a lot of corks on hand, which makes me either a hoarder or a lush. Answer? Yes and yes. Let things dry completely before painting on a second coat, otherwise it will take off paint as you brush. Also, I use plastic applesauce containers for paint. They are a great size for the boys. Tater and Monkey both did a very good job with painting. Tater was a bit more thorough, but Monkey made an effort.

I made a makeshift apron for Tater by cutting off the bottom of a Target bag. It worked fairly well, actually, but Monkey refused to wear one.

Then, cut out oval shapes out of foam, felt or paper for nostrils. We picked a pink. I made ear shapes by drawing gothic arches. See below for you philistines who'd have to google "gothic arch." You'll have to adjust the length to suit the size of ears you what.

I cut those out and made two snips in the bottom about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long making three tabs of equal widths. You'll use these tabs to attach the ears to the body. You can adjust tabs to get the desired ear shape.

Next, cut an opening for the change. An adult should do this, duh. Glue nostrils onto the snout. Glue on the ears. I started by gluing down the middle tab and letting it dry. Adjust the tabs for the ear shape you want; then glue down. Glue on four corks for legs. Hot glue works faster than tacky glue, but obviously, have an adult use the gun. Use some type of sealer. I used an acrylic medium/varnish to protect the little piggies. Poke a hole in the bottom of the container with a screw driver. Curl the chenille rod around the handle, making a spiral. Insert chenille rod into hole, and secure with glue. Glue on eyes. We used google eyes, of course. There you go. Start saving.

Peppermint Candy Cake

2009-12-28T13:03:00.000-08:00

PEPPERMINT CANDY CAKE

2 layers white cake (mix)
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
½ tsp peppermint extract
1 cup crushed peppermint candies
white frosting (store bought)

To make peppermint filling, melt butter in small saucepan. Add sugar, milk and extract. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. While cake layers are still warm, prick tops with a toothpick. Place 1 layer on cake plate and pour 1/2 of peppermint filling slowly over layer. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of peppermint candy. Repeat with remaining layer, but don’t sprinkle top layer with candy. Frost top and sides with frosting, then sprinkle top and sides with remaining ½ cup peppermint candy.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 25: O, Christmas Tree!

2009-12-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I made it to 25!! Yeah for me! I think the yearly Christmas tree is the quintessential family craft project. Here's ours. Everything three feet down is in a different spot than when I first decorated it. I tried to keep the boys away from it, but that turned out to be a losing battle. Putting a giant conifer in the living room, covering it with lights and sparkly ornaments, and then telling them not to touch it seemed cruel, anyway. After all, so many of our ornaments were made with their help. Those will be the ones I cherish most. I see this tree as perfectly reflecting my imperfect life, but it's the life I love. Merry Christmas!!

25 Days of Crafts! Day 24: Apple Bags

2009-12-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

I wanted the boys to participate in the gift-giving this year. So, since they enjoyed apple printing so much, we made some grocery totes for family members. I bought the canvas bags at a craft store. Tater did the printing. I put newspapers inside the bags, so the paint wouldn't bleed through. Though I tried to get him to line the apples up straight, their imperfections are part of the charm. I mixed craft paint with textile medium. Once dry, heat set the print.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 23: Jingle Bells

2009-12-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

We use this as a door hanger. I came across the idea somewhere.

Materials:

egg carton (paper is better, but foam works too)

paint

ribbon

small jingle bells

Cut apart the egg cups to make bell shapes. Paint them desired color. Punch a hole threw base. String length of ribbon through bell, knotting the ribbon an inch or so up. Thread two ends of ribbon through hole of egg cup and tie off. Repeat using various lengths of ribbon. Tater helped paint the cups. We are snowed-in right now (20 inches!), so this is a nice activity when we came in from playing in the snow.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 22: Trees

2009-12-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

Tater helped out with this as well. Thought our little gingerbread house needed some trees. We painted some cardboard cones I had, but you could use store-bought foam cones. I guess you could even paint party hats or make some yourself! I glued little yellow pom-poms to the tops of each.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 21: Snow Painting

2009-12-21T11:28:00.000-08:00

We were blessed with a big snow fall, nearly two feet! I put some food coloring and water in some squirt bottles, and the boys took them outside to color the snow.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 20: Star Pillow

2009-12-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

With little ones in the house, finding child resistant ornaments can be a challenge. I say child resistant, because I don't think anything is ever child proof. I made a few of these a couple of years ago to hang near the bottom of the tree or over door handles. It was a nice way to use remnants. I enlarged a star image I found online and printed it. This one is about 5 inches high. I cut two pieces of fabric with 1/4 inch seam allowance. I sewed the pieces together, leaving about an inch opening for the stuffing. I turned it inside out, filled it, and sewed up the opening. I hand-sewed small jingle bells to the points and tied silver ribbon around each, adding a longer ribbon to one point for hanging. I used a lot of thread to secure those bells, so it would take an awful lot of effort to get them off.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 19: Paper Star

2009-12-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

Materials:

- paper, vellum preferably

- vellum tape, a dry adhesive that won't warp paper available at craft stores

Below is a photo of basic directions to fold and assemble a star. I cut out 5 2x2" squares. When attaching sections, transfer adhesive to areas where each section will overlap another. It takes a little time, but older kids might enjoy this. I like the translucent quality of vellum paper, but any paper will do. Use an exacto-knife to cut a little slit near a point on one fold to loop ribbon through. You can also hang these in front of windows for a stained-glass effect.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 18: Cookie Cutter Ornaments

2009-12-18T09:56:00.000-08:00

This is an easy one, I know. I tied a ribbon around the small ones. I just stick the big ones on a branch.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 17: Chenille Rod Snowflakes

2009-12-17T07:09:00.000-08:00

Another easy ornament craft. Cut two pieces of chenille rod 3 inches long and one 3 1/2 inches long (the extra length will be bent as a hook). You'll need small clear beads, plastic or glass, and some pliers. Wrap the three lengths together at the midpoint, so all 6 sides are the same length accept for the side that will hook to the tree. Begin adding beads. You might need the pliers to help you move the beads down. Push the first ones down toward the center to secure the knot. Once you have added beads, fold over the ends so beads can't fall off. Bend the end of the longest piece to form a hook to attach to the branches. This is a project older kids can do (7+), but they may need some assistance.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 16: Foam Xmas Trees

2009-12-16T16:19:00.000-08:00

There is a lot you can do with craft foam sheets. We made this last year. You can buy precut trees, but I made this by tracing around a tree cookie cutter. Tater made this for Monkey last year. Even little guys can make these. Gather craft odds and ends to decorate the tree. I know I will treasure this for years to come.

Warm Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

2009-12-15T21:19:00.000-08:00

I've been perusing my recipes for low carb options and came across this...

Warm Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

Serves 4

¾ cup green lentils
3 Tbls. Extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise and separated into rings
1 carrot, cut in ¼ inch dice
1 stalk celery, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into ¼ inch dice
2 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbls. Balsamic vinegar
6 oz. spinach, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
salt and pepper
4 oz. fresh goat cheese

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add lentils, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbls. Oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add carrot, celery and bell pepper; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more. Stir in parsley, vinegar and remaining tablespoon oil. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Drain lentils and add to bowl with vegetables. Stir in spinach, and season with salt and pepper. Crumble goat cheese into bowl, and toss gently to combine.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 15: Light Bulb Penguins

2009-12-15T14:16:00.000-08:00

I have a hard time throwing anything away. It's a problem, really. Just ask my husband. I've just got it in my head that almost everything can be reused somehow.

This project is a great way to repurpose all those incandescent light bulbs. I painted a penguin, but I'm sure you can come up with a variety of creatures. I started by painting the light bulb white. I enlisted Tater's help with that. I painted the metal part green. Red would be another option, of course. I then covered most of the glass with black paint. You can play around with how much black you want your penguin to have, just try to be symmetrical. I eye-balled it, but you can draw it out before you begin. It's easier to paint black over white, than white over black. I added feet and a beak using orange craft foam with hot glue. I painted the eyes with the end of my brush dipped in black paint. Next, I hot-glued looped ribbon to the "top" of the light bulb, the metal part which will be his hat. I wrapped and glued white chenille rods around the hat for trim and to hide the glue.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 14: Peppermint Labels

2009-12-14T06:08:00.000-08:00

I decided to make some fun holiday labels. I created an Avery Template 8160 in Word. I found a peppermint candy graphic searching images on bing.com. Here is an example of a page...

25 Days of Crafts! Day 13: Advent Centerpiece

2009-12-13T14:05:00.000-08:00

This year, our family is observing Advent by lighting an advent candle each Sunday of the four Sundays before Christmas. I have a little setup on our dining room table. For each Sunday evening, after dinner, we light a candle representing four aspects of Christ's birth: Hope (purple), Joy (purple), Love (pink) and Peace (purple). We talk about what each candle represents and read the account of Christ's birth in Luke. On Christmas Day, we light all four along with a white candle representing the light that Jesus brought to the world. I used tapered candles we had from last year and put together a tree from cupcake stand, green ball ornaments and glass votive.

This Sunday is the pink candle representing Love, which is so appropriate since two people that I love will be celebrating their birthdays on that day. So, Happy Birthday to my sis Ellen and my sweet husband Dan!

25 Days of Crafts! Day 12: Sometimes a pickle is just a pickle...

2009-12-12T02:06:00.000-08:00

Do you know the story of the pickle ornament? Legend has it that German parents hang a pickle deep within the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. The first child to find the pickle Christmas morning will have good luck for a year and receive an extra gift. Traditionally, the pickle ornaments are glass. But the catch is that German families don't actually observe this tradition. It is apparently a marketing ploy by a German glass ornament manufacturer. Well, I don't think this is the first holiday tradition invented by a clever businessman. That said, if my boys knew that finding a glass pickle ornament meant an extra present, than there wouldn't be much of a pickle or tree left when it was all over. So, I decided to make one out of....craft foam sheets! Cut out a pickle shape out of green foam, a slightly bent log with rounded ends. I put a little curve to my pickles so it wouldn't be so phallic in shape (Freud would've had a field day with this). Punch out circles with a hole punch with the same green for the bumps. Glue those on and punch a hole in the top of the pickle for hanging. The dots really give it a pickle look.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 11: Glass Ball Ornaments

2009-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

These add a wonderful sparkle to the tree. The ornaments to the left and right are clear glass balls I filled with silver and gold tinsel.

The one in middle took a little more effort. To create this, begin by pouring some white glue into an empty clear ball. If you want a more uniform effect, dilute the glue with a little water. Rotate the ball until glue has coated the glass the way you like. Pour out the excess. Next, add some glitter to the ball. Cover the top and roll it all around to coat. Take off the top and set the ball in a plastic cup to dry. Turn the ball periodically so the glitter and glue don't get concentrated in one spot. The glue will dry clear and you will have a lovely glittering ornament. This is a fun activity for kids, but only with careful supervision.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 10: Play Food

2009-12-10T10:13:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you how much I love craft foam sheets? They are inexpensive and versatile. Tater and I were playing kitchen the other day. He was the chef. He would cut food using this really cute Melissa and Doug set. I had an idea to make a sandwich out of different colors of craft foam. So, I busted out the scissors and pinking shears and made cheese, lunch meat, tomato slices, bacon and lettuce to go along with the wooden sandwich bread. I used a red permanent marker on the tomato slices and bacon. You could also make your own bread from tan foam. He had fun arranging the various parts and serving me the sandwich.

And I want to thank ohdeedoh for featuring my post on their website.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 9: Pinecone Ornaments

2009-12-09T07:45:00.000-08:00

I took the boys over to a local church, and we raided the grounds for pinecones. They had a great time of it. A better mother would have had some prepared lesson plan about conifers, but that ain't me. I told them pinecones are from pine trees. Pine trees drop pinecones, leafy trees drop leaves that have changed color. There, end of the lesson.

I put small screw eyes into the tops before I did anything. It makes them easier to paint and hang. I had grand plans, but I ended up painting the tips white and spraying them with gold floral spray glitter. I tried one with just the gold spray, but didn't like it as much. Yes, I have floral spray glitter in my house. Doesn't everybody? I think it's from some Vacation Bible School set I made long ago. I think they will work really well for the inevitable "holes" in the tree. I hung them with thin white satin ribbon.

Allium

2009-12-08T21:43:00.001-08:00

A friend and I spent a wonderful afternoon shopping in Ellicott City, Maryland recently. We went to all these charming little shops that I would never dream of walking into with my boys. Think bulls in a china shop. At one store I spotted a flower that I have had a crush on since I saw them in bloom three years ago at Brookland Gardens: the allium. I only bought one bulb and it was a giant varietal. I planted it near my grape hyacinths and siberian irises. I'm confident it will look stunning with the other purple flowers. There are few color combos that appeal to me more than purple, green and yellow-green. Now, if I can only keep the rabbits from eating it. Those darn things ate all my tulips bulbs, but Chili killed a whole litter of bunnies. It was gruesome, but I was proud that my lap dog still had the stuff.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 8: Aw, Nuts!

2009-12-08T02:07:00.000-08:00

I used gilded walnuts in my Thanksgiving centerpiece, but they make great ornaments with a little ribbon loop glued on top. I bought a bag of walnuts at the grocery store for about $3 dollars and painted them with gold acrylic craft paint I had on hand. You could also use them to embellish gifts. Kids might enjoy painting them as well. They don't shatter when knocked off the tree and are too big to be a choking hazard. Since the paint is non-toxic, I might throw them in the backyard this winter for the squirrels. They'd certainly be able to find them.

2009-12-07T14:35:00.000-08:00

The folks over at odeedoh have some great craft ideas for the holidays. Check it out, checkitouters.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 7: Candy Canes

2009-12-07T07:42:00.000-08:00

Few objects are as constant in holiday decor as the candy cane. These are fortunately sugar-free! I twisted red and white pipe cleaners together, cut them in half, and curved the ends. Hang them all over the tree.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 6: Angel Tree Topper

2009-12-06T09:41:00.000-08:00

In years past, we topped the tree with a paper star I made out of white vellum. This year, I wanted to try an angel. Luckily, I have a mess of craft supplies, so I was able to make this with things around the house. The cone is a thread spool I acquired while teaching studio art. I used to scavenge for simple shaped objects for still life studies: cube, sphere, cylinder, cone, etc. The angel stands about 8 inches high, so hopefully it won't be too small. The head is a wooden ball I glued to the spool. I added a halo made from tinsel. The "wings" are silver tulle I had on hand. Trim and snowflakes were the finishing touches.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 5: Glass bead necklace

2009-12-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy making my own jewelry. Usually, I wear cooler colors and jewel tones, but these green beads looked so delicious, they made me pucker. I spent about $20 on supplies making this necklace and matching earrings. I wear it with purples, but pair it with reds for the holidays. I used tiger's tail for the string. It's very strong and flexible. All supplies were purchased at Michael's.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 4: Stocking Clips

2009-12-04T07:27:00.000-08:00

We have family coming for Christmas this year, and I can't tell you how happy I am that we're staying home! So, I pulled together several stockings we've collected over the years to add to the mantle. I decided to use pom-pom clips to designate stockings, since they aren't marked. I created Christmas themed ones with iconic subjects: angel, snowman, reindeer and a Christmas caterpillar (that's a new one Tater invented. I think it will catch on.) I added a piece of paper with each person's initial. You could use first names, too. I also thought these would make fun place card holders, if I was a place card person.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 3: Wreath

2009-12-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

I put out our wreath. No real wreath for us this year. I'm sick of the needles. We're getting a real tree, but I like the fact I can reuse this one. Found the wreath marked down for $3 at my favorite craft store. Bought the plastic ornaments at IKEA.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 2: Pillows

2009-12-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

I love pillows. They can really change a room with very little effort. I like pillows with zippers for easier cleaning. Here are a few I've made...

If you can sew a straight line, you can make a pillow. Buy a simple sewing machine. You can thank me later.

25 Days of Crafts! Day 1: Advent Calendar

2009-12-01T20:37:00.000-08:00

This year, since I have more to do than ever before, I've decided to make things even more complicated by posting a craft a day from now until Christmas. So here goes...

Advent calendar. Picked this up at Michael's for $12. The train on top closed the deal, considering the obsession my boys have with all things trains. It's made of balsa wood. I stained it a red mahogany and painted the numbers and a few items on the train silver. Advent calendars were never a part of my childhood, but I wanted to begin the tradition with my boys. This seems simple and sturdy enough to last us a while.

Play kitchen

2009-11-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

Over at ohdeedoh, I came across some fab DIY play kitchens. Even though most of the store-bought variety are covered with various shades of pink plastic, I still wanted the boys to enjoy the experience of pretend play in a kitchen. So, I made mine own. We were going to throw out this little table that had doubled as a bedside table in our guest room. It was part of a large desk that had been tossed out years ago. I convinced my husband to repurpose it as a play oven/sink.

I painted black circles on top for the stove eyes. Painted baby food jar lids are used for knobs. The top drawer contains a red bowl the boys use as a sink. When the boys aren't playing with it, it also doubles as small side table in our den. Monkey stashes his favorite birthday gift in the bottom - this really cool food set.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

2009-11-26T17:17:00.000-08:00

This was my Thanksgiving centerpiece, although we ended up having to move it to make room for the food! I had it out on my dining room table for a couple of weeks. I used the pumpkins from my Halloween decorations and added some gilded walnuts I painted with gold craft paint. I plan on using the walnuts in my Christmas decor.

Out of This World Birthday

2009-11-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

Monkey turned two. It's not long after Halloween and with all the parties and events that go along with the holiday, we decided to keep it a family birthday party with some simple decorations, cupcakes and balloons. My husband and I agreed that our kids would have their first "friends" birthday parties when they turned four. We had an early dinner and celebrated right after. I decided to make it a Wall-E theme, because the boys LOVE that movie. I made Wall-E cupcakes.

I did them fast, so they aren't as polished as I would've liked, but I don't think Monkey cared. Yeah, I didn't even bother putting him in something that matched.

I utilized my pom-poms and glass balls, along with some other stuff around the house and made a solar system mobile. I think I'm going to find some way to hang it up in their room.

Butternut Squash Soup

2009-10-27T10:14:00.000-07:00

Butternut Squash Soup

With its sweet, earthy taste, butternut squash soup is a favorite for Thanksgiving. You can also prepare the soup in a slow cooker, which helps to deepen and meld the flavors.

Ingredients:
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cups butternut squash puree*
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and  thinly sliced, I've also used applesauce in a pinch
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
2 small bay leaves
1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 cup cream or milk
1/4 tsp. ground coriander (optional)
1/4 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger (optional)
8 baguette slices, each 1/2 inch thick,  lightly brushed with olive oil and toasted  until golden brown
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
Peel and cube one large or two medium sized squash. Combine squash and 1 cup broth in a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 20 minutes. Puree squash in a blender.
In a dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the squash puree, apple, remaining broth, bay leaves and the 1 tsp. salt to the and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Add the cream/milk. Using a stick blender/mixer, puree the soup directly until smooth. Stir in the coriander and ginger. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls, garnish each with a toasted baguette slice, and season the slices with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Personalized Stationery

2009-10-24T14:39:00.001-07:00

I was putting together thank you notes for Tater's birthday. I wanted him to contribute in some way to express appreciation to his friends for coming to his party. I had him make some crayon and marker drawings telling him this was his thank-you note to his friends. I then cut out rectangles of his drawings and mounted them on card stock stationary. I used spray fixative, but you could use double-sided tape or rubber cement. I bought a pack of blank white stationery at the craft store for $5.