Of Good Report

Update: Doorway Puppet Show Theatre

2011-04-09T14:42:00.005-06:00

I made this Puppet Show Set for my brother's family for Christmas. I wrapped up movie-style popcorn cups (Target), microwavable popcorn, a DVD for the adults, the puppet show curtains and spring rods, and a set of dinosaur puppets (Costco) for the kids. We stacked all the gifts together and attached a tag that read, "We hope you enjoy the SHOW!" I have been making these for a few years now, but I have tweaked my old version just a bit. I used to use spring-rods to hold the curtains, but inevitably the children would lean on the bottom curtain and it would fall down. So to make it sturdier, I now use two stall-sized shower curtain rods and they hold up much better under the wrath of a two-year old. They still fit in almost every doorway in my house since you can screw them in and out to adjust the size.

This time around I added two skinny curtains on each side and I think it looks great. What you need for this project are two stall-sized shower curtain rods, a valance, two matching skinny panels on each side, and a square curtain for the bottom panel. Choose cute fabrics and decorate with coordinating ribbon and you have yourself some fantastic-looking fun. And the best part of this project is how well it stores- simply fold up the curtains!

Burned-edge Flower Pins

2010-10-29T23:20:00.006-06:00

These are totally passe for Utah crafters, (welcome to the prolific crafters association) so this post if for my non-Utah friends who might enjoy making a few flowers.

These are burned-edge flowers and you can make them into pins or put them on headbands or hair clips or cards or whatever.

The first step is cutting coordinating fabric circles of graduating sizes from 100% Polyester fabric. The polyester fabric singes well along the edges.

Light a candle, and carefully singe the edge of a circle, while rotating it until the whole circle is singed. Trust me on this- it sounds scary, but it's not- just try it and you'll see that the edges will curl up pretty quickly. (I tried to get a picture, but burning flammable fabric with one hand and taking a picture with the other proved to be a really dumb thing to do:)

Your circles will look sort of like these.

Layer the circles together graduating from smallest to biggest. Find a pearl, charm, bead or button you like. Then, using a needle and thread, just sew the whole flower together in the center while attaching the bead.

I made most of mine into pins by hot-gluing craft pins (Michael's) to the back, but I have seen these types of flowers on headbands and hairclips too.

How to Make Cloth Diaper Burp Cloths

2010-06-20T23:34:00.010-06:00

I always thought using cloth diapers was the best thing for soaking up spit up, however it wasn't always attractive to have a burp cloth hanging off my shoulder. Adding a little bit of flannel to the center strip of a cloth diaper makes these both cute and functional. And have you checked out flannel lately? It has definitely come a long way from the little checks and baby bottle selection I used to see. Thank you for giving us options people!

If you are a beginning sewer, this is a perfect project for you! It's very simple.

You will need:

- a pack of cloth diapers (usually comes in a 10 pack).

- 20" by 6" of flannel per burp cloth.

- 40" of coordinating ribbon per burp cloth (you sew the ribbon on both sides of the flannel).
- coordinating thread.

Simply prewash and dry your diapers and flannel to prevent shrinking.

Looking at your diaper vertically, fold the outside edges in to meet the lines on the outside of the center padded part. Pin the edges in place, like so:Sew the folded part in place, along the inside vertical line, and on the top and bottom edges (to close the two pieces). This makes the outside edges thicker and more absorbent. Next, measure and cut your flannel, leaving 1/2 " extra on either end, to tuck underneath so you won't have a raw edge. Iron the 1/2" fold on both ends. Then pin the flannel in place with the top and bottom edges folded under, and sew around all four edges. (The side edges will be raw at this point, but you are going to cover them with ribbon!)Next, measure your ribbon, leaving 1/2" extra on both ends, iron it folded under so it stays while you sew (just like you did with the flannel), pin it in place, and sew it up and down either edge. Ric Rac Option: If you want to make a ric rac ribbon, you will sew the ric rac onto the ribbon first, and then fold the top and bottom edges under, pin in place, and sew up and down both sides of the ribbon to secure. Super Cute!A stack of burp cloths makes a great baby shower gift!

Melting Crayon Art

2010-06-20T23:16:00.005-06:00

This art project is super fun for children of all ages, and is extremely simple to do!

You will need:

-light cardstock

- Crayons

- hot pad

- electric griddle set at lowest temperature setting Simply plug in your electric griddle and start with it set to the lowest heat temperature setting. Put a piece of cardstock on the griddle and start to draw with a crayon. If it is warm enough, the crayon will start to slide and melt as you draw, spreading into neat patterns. If the crayon doesn't melt as you draw, turn up the heat setting until you achieve the desired result.

Young children should be supervised exceptionally well for this project! I had my three year old (who draws with her right hand) put a hot pad on her left hand so she wasn't tempted to touch the griddle, and if she did, it wouldn't burn her.

My kids loved doing this! We hung them in the windows and they really lit up with the sun going through them, sort of like stained glass. Have fun!

Happy Birthday Banner

2010-05-20T00:11:00.004-06:00

I cut the squares of fabric 4 1/2" by 6 1/2" so that after a 1/4" seam on all sides, the finished squares were 4" by 6". First, I traced the letters (backwards) on the back side of Heat n Bond. Then, I fused it to black fabric and cut the letters out. Next, I sewed the aforementioned squares together, and ironed the letters to the squares, with the Heat n Bond side down. Finally, I sewed the top of each square between double folded bias tape, and I had an instant, reusable Happy Birthday Banner!

Preschool Graduation Caps

2010-04-21T16:13:00.004-06:00

I made these graduation caps for Madeline's preschool and they were a hit. The tassle was gone before the ceremony was over, but that's okay! The kids loved them.

If you want to reproduce some, you will need paper bowls for the caps (the bigger, the better), square plates (I got my colorful striped ones at Target), yarn for stringing, fruit loops, and a large brad for attaching them all together. Happy Graduation!

Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

2009-12-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

I cut this recipe out of a magazine a few years back and have been staring at the beautiful picture every time I open my homemade cookbook. So I finally decided to try it for a cookie exchange and it was DE-licious. You will be so happy with the result. But just a warning- cut them into small squares or you will be sick. They are that good.

(Courtesy of Food Network)

Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies (Oreos)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt

Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature. Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so. (I personally think this is a joke. I tried it and it didn't work. I found a ziplock and a hammer to be much more appropriate!)

103 Christmas Gift Ideas

2009-12-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

1. M&M's - Have a Merry and Most wonderful Holiday Season!!
2. Soup or soup mix - Wishing you a "Souper" Holiday Season!!
3. Frozen or ready to bake pizza - Warm up to a wonderful Holiday Season “Topped" with Christmas cheer!
4. Apples and Hershey's Hugs - A teacher can't live by apples alone...She needs "Hugs" too!!
5. Popcorn Balls - Hoping you have a "Ball" this Holiday Season!
6. Loaf of Bread - For being there when you were "Kneaded", for "Rising" to the occasion, large or small. For never "loafing" on the job; for helping others to "Heel" with TLC. No matter how you "slice it", you do a terrific job loving Others. Merry Christmas!!
7. Jolly Ranchers - Have a “Holly, Jolly" Christmas!!
8. Rootbeer - We're "Root"ing for you to have a Happy Holiday Season and a Wonderful New Year!! (see rootbeer deer at end of list!)
9. Chex Party Mix - Remember Santa "Chex" his list twice to see who's been naughty or nice...so be good for goodness sake!! Merry Christmas!!
10. Box of Hostess Ho-Ho's - Hope a merry "HO - HO - H0" fills your heart the whole year through! (Put a Santa sticker on the label)
11. Wire Wisk filled with Chocolate kisses- We “WHISK” you a Merry “KISSmas!!"
12. Jar of Jelly – Have a Holly, “Jelly” Christmas!!
13. Christmas Tray - We "Tray"sure your friendship! Merry Christmas!!
14. Bell - With each chime of this festive bell, may a Christmas wish come true. And bring you peace and happiness to last the whole year through! Merry Christmas!
15. Yule Log - We send you warm greetings this Christmas Season!!
16. Potpourri - May this sweet scent bring back thoughts of warm Christmases long ago! Merry Christmas!
17. Cleaners - You add sparkle and make our life brighter! Merry Christmas!
18. Nuts - We're nuts about you! Merry Christmas!
19. Lifesavers - You've been a life saver! Have a great Christmas!
20. A juice pitcher filled with candy canes- We pitcher you raising a little "cane" during the holidays! Have a Merry Christmas!!
21. Broom - You're "Dust" the finest neighbors we know! Merry Christmas!
22. Paper Towels - Blot out your troubles; absorb the Christmas Spirit!
23. Measuring Cup or Glass Measure - Wishing you Joy Beyond Measure!
24. Bananas - If we could choose our friends, and we searched the whole world through- we'd go bananas trying to find a better bunch than you!!"
25. Any Star ornaments - "Remember the reason for the season!"
26. Chocolate Mousse Mix - "Merry Christmousse" to our "Deer" Friends!
27. Wooden spoon - Whether stirring up cakes, cookies, soups or soufflés; you'll find this spoon useful in so many ways. But whatever its use, it says, "Merry Merry Christmas from us to you!
28. Flowers - If friends were flowers, we'd pick you! Happy Holidays!! Or "You make friendship bloom all year round!"
29. Heart Christmas Ornament - May the Joy and Love you give away, come back to you on Christmas day!
30. Sugar cookies with cinnamon sugar or sprinkles on top- May your Christmas be sprinkled with laughter and love! Merry Christmas!
31. Hershey's Hugs - A friend always knows when you need a little hug!
32. Christmas music CD or Tape - May the sweet song of Christmas make your heart rejoice! Or "May the merry sounds of Christmas bring a Joyful Melody to your holiday season. Merry Christmas!!”
33. Filled Basket - Wishing you a basket full of Christmas blessings
34. Salsa - Add a little Spice to your Holidays! Merry Christmas!
35. Stocking or filled Jar - Have a fun filled Christmas this year!
36. Lamb - Have "eweself" a Merry little Christmas!!
37. Candle - May your days be happy, your heart be light, your Christmas Merry, and the New Year Bright!!
38. Holly - Happy Holly days!
39. Calendar - Keep Christmas in your heart the whole year through!
40. Shaped Sugar Cookies - Rolling out a batch of Christmas Cheer, for someone we think is very dear!!
41. Cherry 7-up - Just a Little Christmas Cheer from Happy Hearts this time of year!! Merry Christmas!!
42. Sparkling Cider - Wishing you a Sparkling Holiday Season!
43. Warm Casserole or Bread - Bundled up with warm wishes!!
44. Popcorn or Carmel Corn - Just "Popping" by with a Holiday Hi! Or "May your Holidays be Poppin'!"
45. Seasoning Mix - Seasoned with Love! Merry Christmas!!
46. Eggbeater or Eggnog- Have an "Eggstra" Special Holiday!!
47. Hershey's Hugs and Kisses - Christmas Hugs and Kisses to You or "Holiday Hugs and Kisses to you!"
48. Apple Pie or Apple Crisp - Wishing you a Scrumptious Christmas!
49. Fruit Basket - May your New Year be Festive and Fruitful!!
50. Any Sweet Treat - Wishing you a season filled with sweetness!
51. Oranges - " Orange" you glad we're Friends!? Merry Christmas!!
52. Chocolate Orange - "Orange" you glad it's Christmas? Hope your Christmas is a Sweet one!
53. Sprite - May your Christmas be Merry and Sprite!
54. Ice Cream Snowballs and Hot Fudge - Here's some packaged "snowball" treats - Just Drizzle Hot Fudge and its ready to eat!...Enjoy!!
55. Snicker Bar - Don't "Snicker", just be glad you got Something!!
56. Mints - Friends like you are worth a Mint!! Merry Christmas!!
57. Matches - No one “Matches” you as neighbors! Merry Christmas!
58. Strainer with a Christmas bow- We couldn't “restrain” ourselves from wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!"
59. Box of Light Bulbs - Have a bright and radiant Christmas! Or “May your Christmas be merry and bright!”
60. Bubble Gum or Bubble Bath - May your holidays "Bubble" over with fun!!
61 Pencil and Notepad - Merry Christmas from our pad to yours!! or Merry Christmas to a "noteworthy" friend!
62. Jar of Pickles - Just in brine, Our wish for a merry Christmas!!
63. Grater and Cheese - To a Grate Neighbor! Merry Christmas!
64. Ice Cream - Have a "Cool" Yule!!
65. Bear shaped Honey - Have a “Beary” Sweet Christmas!!
66. Santa - "Ho - Ho - Hoping your Christmas is Merry!"
67. Angel - Hoping you have a Heavenly Christmas!!
68. Eggnog - Have an "Udderly Moovalous" Christmas!!
69. Gingerbread House - Nibble, Nibble like a mouse, We hope you'll nibble at this house! Merry Christmas!!
70. Mugs with Hot Chocolate Mix - To our special friends who are so Dear, We wish you all a cup of Cheer! (Or for a Teacher- To a Special Teacher dear, wishing you a "Cup of Cheer"!
71. Cocoa Mix - Wishing you a warm and wonderful Christmas!
72. Muffins or Muffin mix - You're getting "Muffin" for Christmas!!
73. Gum - By Gum, You're a great Neighbor!! Have a Merry Christmas!
74. Veggies and Dip - Dip into a wonderful Holiday season and a Healthy New Year!
75. Christmas Shaped pasta - (Or any Pasta and a bottle of Sauce) Have a Pasta-tively Happy Holiday!"
76. Jar of Jam - Hoping you have a Holiday "Jam" packed with fun!! Have a "Berry" nice holiday season!! Or Hoping your Christmas is "Jam-packed" with Christmas Cheer!!
77. Cookie Dough - Here's a little extra "dough" for Christmas! Or Everyone Needs a little extra "dough" for Christmas!!
78. Homemade Frozen Rolls - Here's a little holiday treat. Rise and bake, it can't be beat! Warm fresh rolls just for you. Top with butter that's all you do! Warm Holiday Greetings to you!
79. Brownie Mix - (Or any Mix) Whip up this mix for a wonderful holiday fix! Wishing you a "rich" Holiday Season!! (Be sure to attach the recipe!)
80. Homemade caramels - Hoping you have a "Rich" and "wonderful" Holiday!!
81. Pie - Just a "Holiday Hi" and a tasty Pie!! Happy Holidays!!
82. Divinity - May your Christmas be "Divine" and your Holidays so Fine! Sweet Christmas Wishes!
83. Rice Krispie Treats - Snap, Crackle, Pop; We think you're really tops!
84. Toffee or Brittle - Any way you break it, we think you're the greatest!
85. Fudge - "Fudge" a little on the calories and enjoy the Holiday Season!
86. Cheese Ball and Crackers - We don't mean to sound "Cheesey", we just hope you have a "Ball" this Holiday Season! Or "Spread a little Christmas Cheer this Holiday Season!
87. Apple Anything - (Pie,Cobbler, crisp, muffins etc.) Sending you a "Bushel" of love this holiday Season!! Or “You are the apple of my eye, Teacher!"
88. Banana Bread - Banana Bread just for you, because you have so much to do... We also love you a whole "Bunch" too! Merry Christmas!
89. Cinnamon Rolls - Here's a sweet treat "Rolled" up with warm Holiday Wishes! Merry Christmas!
90. Homemade Chocolates - You're so Sweet...having you as neighbors is really a treat! Have a Heavenly Holiday Season!
91. Cake or Cupcakes - You take the "Cake" neighbor, We think you're first rate! Happy Holidays to you!!
92. Cornbread or Mix - We're not trying to be "Corny" we just want you to have Merry Christmas!
93. Carrot Cake - I Really "Carrot" a lot about you!! Merry Christmas!
94. Spiced Drink Mixes - Hoping your Holidays are "Spiced" Just right!
95. Homemade Ice cream of a Frozen Treat - Here's the Scoop,,,,Hoping your Holidays are a "Blizzard" of fun!
96. Recipe - Just like you friend...it's tried and true, just for you! Happy Holiday Baking or Merry Christmas Cooking!
97. Pizza - Hope your Holiday has a touch of "Pizza - z!!" Merry Christmas!!
98. Candle - You Light up my Life! Thanks for your friendship! May your Christmas be Merry and Bright!
99. Crayons and Coloring Book - Hope your Holidays are Colorful!
100. Plant - The kindness you show makes our friendship grow and grow! Hope you have a Happy Holiday!!
101. Soda Pop - I'd "Soda" like to wish you a merry Christmas!
102. Stuffed animal or Beanie Baby or Webkinz- "Pawsing" to wish you a Merry Christmas!
103. Donuts - "Donut" you know we love you??? Have a happy Holiday!

These “root deer” would be a great gift to put together with the kids. Just decorate each bottle in a six pack of root beer with pipe cleaner, pom-poms, googly eyes, felt, and a jingle bell collar.

Homemade Puppet Show Theatre

2009-11-29T22:36:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine posted a question about good Christmas gifts, and this immediately came to mind. I thought I would share it with you, since it is so simple and so adorable!

Every time I have given these away, I get raves. And who doesn't like raves? Your kids will LOVE waking up to this and a good set of puppets on Christmas morning!

I have made several versions of this same thing, but basically you are going to make (or buy) curtains and then either use a spring rod (less expensive, but not as sturdy) or a shower-stall curtain rod to hang them in a doorway for an instant puppet show theatre! Both a spring rod and a shower curtain rod are adjustable, so just get one with a range of expansion that fits your doors. Two great things about this product are that it is portable (either from doorway to doorway or from your house to someone else's), and when your kids tire of it, you can simply fold the curtains up and put them in your linen closet. No big toys to store!

The first set I made were just two curtains made from silky purple fabric with yellow stars all over it- it sort of turned out like something for a magic show. But my kids loved them! I made them pretty long because you can adjust the height of the curtain rod depending on how tall the child is. Even my older kids (6 and 8) like to do magic shows and puppet shows. For this set, you can split the curtains so the kids can actually walk through them. (Great for introductions to performances etc.!)

If you've never made curtains, simply get a square of fabric (you want it to be at least 60" wide or up to two times the door width, and the length can be as long as long as you want!) and hem the sides first. Second, hem top and bottom. Then, fold the top down (creating a pocket) far enough that you can fit your curtain rod in the loop, and stitch along the bottom of the folded fabric.

The puppet show theatre in the above picture takes a little more effort, but not much. I simply made two curtains-one for the bottom and a shorter valance one for the top; and then I decorated them with ric rac. This particular set also has a clear pocket on the front so that my kids can put in 'signs' for their show depending on what they are using it for. We've used it for "store," "theatre," "show," and "circus." Once I figured out how to do these well, I actually sold them at a craft fair, and they were the FIRST product to sell out.

Good luck!

Sweet Scarecrows

2009-11-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

How cute are these 'Sweet Scarecrows' from Family Fun? You can use this cute face with either cookies or cupcakes. We are making these for our kids' table at Thanksgiving. I love a darling, simple craft that brings happiness to our home and smiles to the kids.

No More Smelly Dishcloths!!!

2009-05-18T12:53:00.000-06:00

There is nothing I dislike more than a smelly dishcloth. Ugh.

To keep your cloths smelling fresh- once a month, put them in boiling water for 15-20 minutes with a few tablespoons of baking soda, then wash them in the washing machine with a little bleach added and they will be as good as new! Because that's what my mama says and she knows.

The Letter Factory

2009-05-01T18:58:00.000-06:00

I have meant to blog about this awesome product for a long time! Usually I'm the "no TV mama," but I think I love this DVD even more than my kids! A friend of mine introduced us to this when Emma was 2 years old, and it took her about a week to learn all her letters by name and the sound they made. It has been the same story for Madeline, and the children of family and friends. It is just a simple, but very creative video about letters and their phonetic sounds. And it works! Now, my kids are constantly singing about letters and the sounds they make.

To see other reviews about this video on Amazon, click here.

Once your child has mastered his or her letters, there are also "Talking Words Factory," and "Talking Words Factory 2," which teach them how to add the sounds together to form words (READ)! Try it, you'll be amazed how great it is!

Panoramic Sugar Eggs

2009-04-09T13:46:00.001-06:00

As a child, my mom made these and she would set them out each Easter. I remember peering into them, so excited to see a familiar scene of bunnies and easter eggs or chicks at play. I wanted my kids to enjoy them too, so I made these a few years ago and they have held up surprisingly well, even amidst all of our moving. So far, I have only lost two! My kids love them a little too much, so I've had to put them up high on the mantle so they need a little assistance to "look" at them.

I can't say they are the easiest things to make, but they do keep well if you pack them away right. And they are completely edible... made from sugar and water and lots of frosting (minus the cute little mini figures- those are specialty of Michael's).

If you would like a comprehensive tutorial on making these neat eggs, click here. If you would rather just buy them, click here.

Last Minute Ideas for Valentines Day Fun

2009-02-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some fun things you can do to make the day special for your family... and they don't require much preparation!

1- Make heart shaped pancakes (just pour it on the griddle in a rough heart shape) or muffins. (If you don't have a special muffin tin, simply put a marble between each paper liner and the muffin tin and it will create a heart shape- I tried it and it worked great!)

2- Put pink food coloring in the milk jug.

3- Find one of those shades of lipstick that you were sure about in the store, but once you got home, you realized it was all wrong, and write a lipstick mirror message for your sweetie.

4- Leave a love note in your child's lunch box, fill the lunch box with heart confetti, or draw hearts on the bag.

5- Give someone a "heart attack" by sticking hearts all over his/her car, office, or door.

6- Call a loved one at work and sing them a love song on the telephone.

7- Wake your kids up in the morning with a kiss and a Hershey's kiss (they might get out of bed faster!?)

8- Blow up red balloons or cut out red hearts to hang over the dinner table.

Please let me hear your ideas by leaving a comment!

Kids Valentine Ideas

2009-02-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

We've been having fun at our house... we hope you have too!

Since we always seem to have leftover candy canes from Christmas, it has become a tradition for us to make these candy cane heart Valentines for our teachers.

These are the Valentines we made for the kids to give to classmates. I figure the less candy, the better, since they are sure to come home with a LOT of that.

And this last one was just for fun... I remember having these candy airplanes as a child and I wanted to see what my kids thought. Of course, they were a hit. You need smarties, single sticks of gum, two lifesavers, and a rubber band (preferably not the hair kind, like me).

If you are interested in cleaning out your crayon box, this craft is for you! Get all the little broken crayons together and unwrap them. Fill up a small heart shaped bake pan with random pieces. Bake at 250 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until they are melted. Let it cool and then pop out. My kids loved this.

Paint Chip Valentines

2009-02-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

I had some extra paint chips around the house this month, and I decided to put them to good use! Simply trim off the words and numbers, and use the ready-made frames for cute stickers or a message!

For the card, I just trimmed the edges off the paint chip, and mounted it on a white card; added two strings of ribbon and the x's and o's. Quick and cute!

Then, I decided to make little bookmarks for my kids.

Joy To Everyone

2008-12-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

To receive some joy, click here.

Earmuffs for Mr. Snowman

2008-12-25T21:16:00.001-07:00

This is such a cute sugar cookie idea. Simple enough for the kids to actually do all by themselves!

You will need sugar cookie dough, white frosting, licorice (Pull n Peel), mini chocolate chips, m&ms, orange gum drops, and life savers.

Christmas Morning Sticky Buns

2008-12-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

If you make these sweet rolls on Christmas eve, you can put them in the refrigerator overnight and they will be perfect to bake and eat warm on Christmas morning!

SWEET DOUGH:
3/4 c. buttermilk, warm
2 1/4 tsp. instant yeast
1/4 c. sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled until warm
3 large eggs
4 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. salt

1. Combine yeast and sugar in mixing bowly, add warm buttermilk, stir and let sit for 15 minutes or until yeast is bubbly. Add eggs, salt, melted butter and two cups of flour and m ix until smooth. Addremaining flour and mix until dough leaves the sides of the mixer but still sticks to the bottom of the mixer. If dough isn't doing this, add more flour 1 Tbsp. at a time until dough leaves sides. Mix until smooth. Place dough in an oiled blow and raise until doubled in size, about two hours.

NUT TOPPING:
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. light corn syrup
4 Tbsp. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. pecans, toasted and chopped coarse

FILLING FOR BUNS:
3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves (optional)
pinch of salt
flour for the counter
2 Tbsp. melted butter, plus extra for the pan

1. (The nut topping goes in the bottom of your 13x9 pan first. You will add the rolls on top, bake it, and then flip it onto a platter, so the yummy carmel/nuts is on top.) For the nut topping, bring the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the vanilla and pecans. Spread the mixture in the bottom of your greased 13 x 9 pan.

2. For the filling, mix the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and roll or press into a 12 x 16 inch rectangle. Brush the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle the filling over the dough, leaving a 3/4 inch border along the top edge. Press on the filling to adhere it to the dough. Roll the dough into a tight cylinder and pinch the seam closed. Roll the cylinder over so that it is seam side down. Pat the ends to even out.

3. Slice the cylinder into 12 evenly sized buns, using a serrated knife. Arrange the buns cut side down on top of the nut topping in the baking dish. Let rise in a warm place until rolls have doubled in size, 1 1/2 or more hours. (If you want to eat these in the morning, make them at night, and stick in refrigerator overnight. They will be perfect for baking in the morning! The cold slows down the yeast.)

4. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake until the buns are golden and puffed, 25 to 30 minutes. Let the buns cool in the pan for 5 minutes before flipping out onto platter. (Put platter or cookie sheet on top of pan, firmly hold edges of both pans, and flip them so the hot one is on top. Careful, it is hot!) Scrape any leftover filling onto the top of the buns.

Simple Christmas Kid Crafts

2008-12-23T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few simple Christmas crafts for kids. I always love the things they make with their handprints, and both of these use hands/feet. For the reindeer, trace both of your child's hands and one of his/her feet on a paper bag cut them out. The foot becomes the reindeer's head and the hands become the antlers. Glue them together, and add a red pom pom for the nose and googlie eyes. Or, let them color and decorate it. You could also turn this into an ornament by adding ribbon.

We made this for playgroup a few weeks ago and we made them again for the kids' Christmas cards. Use a sponge or stipple brush to put green paint on your child's hand and help them make a handprint. We also painted a small wooden star yellow and glued it on, but you could use a pipe cleaner, or simply yellow paper for the star. We cut a stem out of dark brown paper, and then the kids added sequins for the ornaments. We cut the tree out and glued it on a larger card. This was the girls' favorite one- "so sparkly and bootiful!"

Ambrosia Crunch

2008-12-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

This is about the best sweet snack mix I've ever had. It is simple to prepare and sure to please the palate. Wrap it in cellophane bags with pretty ribbon for a great presentation.

3 c. rice chex
3 c. corn chex
3 c. cheerios
2 c. stick pretzels
2 c. peanuts
12 oz. plain M&Ms
12 oz. peanut M&Ms
12 oz. white chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients, except for white chocolate in a large bowl. Melt white chocolate slowly in microwave, one minute at a time at half power, stirring after each minute. Pour over mix and stir thoroughly. Pour onto waxed paper and let cool. Break apart and enjoy!

Ocean Cake

2008-12-02T20:12:00.000-07:00

OK, my fellow cake-loving friends will laugh because they know how excited I get about making cool cakes for my kids' birthdays! This one was seriously so extremely easy and it turned out better than I had imagined. I found it (and many other fantastic cake ideas on one of our favorite sites, familyfun.com.) Perfect for any type of ocean or Hawaiian themed party.Simply use speckled Jelly Bellies for the rocks, Fruit By The Foot for the seaweed, and different gummy fish for the fish. The cheesy Ariel candle is to appease my sweet three year old, but I have to say it looked much cooler without it.

Pinecone Turkeys

2008-12-02T20:06:00.003-07:00

We made these adorable turkeys at playgroup last week. Each turkey only requires a pinecone, a pom pom (fuzzy ball), a few pipe cleaners, some googlie eyes, small pieces of red and yellow felt, and some craft glue. (Martha Stewart had some great ideas this month on creating bird and mice ornaments out of pinecones too.)

Homemade Sorting Toy

2008-11-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

This is a simple activity for your 1 1/2 or 2 year-old. Mine has been loving little pieces lately; she has been sorting beads and buttons and the like. She kept bringing me a little bag of beads from my craft drawer so I thought we would put them to good use. We used an empty egg carton and turned it into a sorter. It costs next to nothing, keeps them occupied for a few hours, and if they tire of it after a few weeks, you don't feel bad tossing it in the recycling pile.

For this toy, you will need an empty egg carton, different colored felt, scissors, glue, and something to sort like beads or buttons.

Simply cut small squares of felt and glue them in the bottom of the egg cups.

Pour the beads in the lid, and ask your child to put them in the right spot.

Recycling

2008-11-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

I really love to recycle. And it seems Miss Emma takes after her mommy. She is absolutely sure she needs to have every single toilet paper roll, shoe box, and empty yogurt carton she can find. There are so many times where I don't have time to help her and I explain that we can't keep everything, (her room is overrun with papers and art projects as it is) but last night, I had time. So I obliged her.

measure and cut felt

Hot glue it on; add some ribbon or buttons

Decorate the lid with felt and puff paints. Now, you have yourself a super duper, nifty cylinder-shaped box for all of your treasures.

Turkey Sugar Cookies

2008-11-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

The girls and I made turkey sugar cookies for Family Home Evening tonight. They were a hit! I now go against the core of who I am (made-from-scratch mommy) and purchase premade sugar cookie dough (for the lesson learned, click here), and it has been much more fun for the kids.

For this project, you need orange frosting, candy corns, m&ms, and a small amount of melted chocolate to dot on for the pupils.

My little turkeys

Pear Ghosts

2008-11-04T14:41:00.001-07:00

Here's one more cute Halloween idea. I know it's late, but I didn't have time to post it earlier, and there's always next year, right?These are so simple- you just dip pears in white chocolate and when it's almost set up, add the semi-sweet chocolate chips for eyes. They look darling and taste so good! My kids loved them.

Oatmeal for my Pumpkins

2008-10-31T12:59:00.000-06:00

On holidays, I try to think of fun ways to serve food to my kids. Usually, it's the same old thing with a different presentation. So, this morning, I decided to decorate our bowls of oatmeal up (by adding orange food coloring and chocolate chips) and make them into pumpkins. The kids loved the look, but it was funny because since they aren't used to chocolate chips in their oatmeal, they didn't like it as much as I thought they would. Humph.

Cheesecloth Ghosts

2008-10-24T14:31:00.000-06:00

My mom made these with us when I was a child. We used to get them out each Halloween and they were a family favorite. I decided to make them with my kids this year and they loved it! Here are the directions:
Collect desired bottles or containers for the body forms. You are going to make the shape of a ghost, and then drape cheesecloth over it to make the ghost.

Scrunch up newspaper for the heads. Cover the newspaper with plastic wrap, so the newspaper print doesn't rub off onto your white ghosts. Or, you could try using foil instead.

Tape plastic spoons or the like to the sides to shape arms.

Cut out desired sheets of cheesecloth to drape over the figures. Two or three layers of cheesecloth makes the ghost look really good. (You can find cheesecloth at hardware and craft stores.)

Put Elmer's glue in a dish and add some water until it is thin. I probably used 1 bottle of Elmer's glue and about 1/3 cup water. (Martha Stewart uses liquid starch, and I read you can also use heavy sugar water. But Elmer's glue works great too and it's what we had on hand.)

After you dip the cheesecloth in the glue, squeeze off all of the excess and drape it over the form, one layer at a time, until you like what you see. (If I could do it over, I would have put foil or waxed paper down on the table instead of newspaper, because- hello, newspaper STICKS to elmer's glue and it was a pain to peel them off.) They need about one and a half days to dry thoroughly. Enjoy!

On Our Table This Week...

2008-09-28T13:50:00.001-06:00

When I hear other people say how much they hate to cook, I take it to mean that either 1- they are overwhelmed by the process of planning and shopping for food, or 2- they have no idea what to cook or don't have many good recipes. Maybe I'm wrong, but how can chopping fresh vegetables, or standing over a simmering pot of yummy soup be that bad? Personally, I love to cook. I love to menu plan and I love to try new recipes. Now, one thing I really don't like is having three kids with me in the grocery store and trying to purchase two weeks' worth of groceries. But I find if I have a plan in mind before I go to the store, the outcome is usually much better financially and emotionally for all of us.

If I don't have a menu plan, then I have to admit that finding the inspiration to come up with something nutritious and delicious that the kids will eat at the last minute is next to impossible. So, it is with this purpose in mind, that I decided to add the "On Our Table This Week" box on the right. I will update it each week with what I am planning, in case you need a little inspiration. And please, if you have a great recipe, send it my way!!! Note: I usually plan 5 meals a week, because on the other nights we eat leftovers or eat out, or on crazy nights we eat scrambled eggs or oatmeal or something.

Tropical Pudding Cake

2008-09-24T08:01:00.000-06:00

This cake is simply fantastic. Every time I serve it, people comment that they need the recipe. So here you go! It's light and refreshing, but really yummy. I got this recipe from an old Southern cook and it's sort of a "dump it all in and mix it up" kind of recipe. Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 yellow cake mix
1 can mandarin oranges, not drained
3/4 c. canola oil or butter
4 eggs
16 oz. cool whip
1 can crushed pineapple (not drained)
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Directions: Mix together cake mix, mandarin oranges, oil (or butter), and eggs until thoroughly mixed. Pour into two or three round cake pans. (Three layers just makes the cake look fancier, but two works just as well.) Bake at 350 degrees. For two pans, it takes 30-33 minutes; for three pans, it takes about 25 minutes. (Ovens vary, so be cautious. A sure way to dry out a cake is to overbake it. I like to err on the side of slightly underbaked.)

For frosting, combine cool whip, crushed pineapple, pudding mix, and walnuts and mix well. If cakes aren't cooled yet, put frosting in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

Cool cakes, and frost between layers, sides, and top. I like to garnish with pineapple or walnuts. Last night I used raspberries, since I had them and it looked great. Just use whatever you have on hand. Refrigerate until serving.

Egg-citing Idea

2008-09-23T18:52:00.000-06:00

Yeah, the title is sort of lame. But the idea is cute! So the other day, Shan had boiled some eggs and put them back into the egg carton, unbeknownst to me. I was baking a cake, and you can imagine how strange I felt when I tried to crack the egg and it split in half and the hard yoke fell in the bowl. Sort of one of those twilight zone sort of moments. Anyway, it made us all laugh and I remembered something cute my mom has always done. When eggs are hard boiled, she draws silly faces on them and puts them back. Try it; it will at least make you smile when you open up the egg carton.

Mother Squirrel

2008-09-16T15:33:00.000-06:00

Hello, my name is Marisa and I have Food Preservation Addiction. No, seriously, I do.

This year, I had decided not to can peaches because things have been sort of hectic and I didn't think I had time. But driving home from the zoo the other day, I kept passing peach farms, with roadside stands brimming with gorgeous bushels of peaches. I could hardly stand it. My mouth was watering as I passed four or five produce stands and by the time I reached the sixth one, I had to pull over. So I came home with a bushel and a half of peaches and the process began.

As a child, I remember my mother and grandmother in our steamy, sticky sweet kitchen for hours at a time. At the time, it seemed to me like a lot of work, but I always had delicious peaches to eat any time I wanted. I also remember the first time I ate store bought peaches from a can, and I was stunned that people actually pay money for them.

Top 5 Reasons to Can Peaches:

1. Picking produce at the farm is half of the fun. The kids LOVE it.

2. It's easier than you think

3. It doesn't cost much

4. You can feed your family whole foods, with no preservatives

5. Eating delicious peaches all year!!

Just in case you want to try, here's what to do:

Supplies: (This can be expensive the first year, but after that, you can just reuse the jars.)

jars, lids, and screwbands

peaches (ripe and fragrant, but not overly soft)

sugar

water

water bath canner (a big back pot with a rack in the bottom-no more than $10)

canning tongs are nice, but I've never had them.

1. First, you are going to wash and dry the jars. You can use the dishwasher or do it by hand.

2. Then, wash your peaches.3. After your peaches are washed, you need to peel them. You can either peel them by hand, or blanch them in boiling water for 45-60 seconds. After they are blanched, use a slotted spoon to put them in ice water and when you peel them, the skins will almost fall off.

My little helper.

4. Prepare your syrup. I always use a light syrup, because if your fruit is ripe and sweet, you don't need extra sugar. I used 6 cups water to 2 cups sugar, but you can find charts for different syrups at homecanning.com or anywhere for that matter. You want the syrup to be hot when you add it to your jars, but not boiling.

5. Now, just peel and cut the peaches in half and put them into the jars. You want to fill them pretty tight, so simply tamp it down on a towel and the fruit will settle so you can fit lots in. Leave about 1/2 inch of space on top. (You can see from the pictures that I actually cut my peaches into sixths. I do this because I can fit more into the jars and my kids want them cut up when I serve them, so doing it in advance cuts down on dinnertime mayhem.)

5. Meanwhile, simmer the lids and screwbands in a saucepan, for sterilization and to soften the rubber on the lids.
6. Ladle hot syrup into jars to cover peaches, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot syrup.

7. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight. 8. PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes (for quarts), adjusting for altitude (homecanning.com). Remove jars and cool on a towel. They are HOT. 9. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

9. Label jars and stock your shelves.
A full pantry is joy to me. Just call me mother squirrel.

Muffin Tin Meal

2008-09-11T06:12:00.000-06:00

Are you trying to come up with something to serve that is nutritious and new, but also that your kids will enjoy? Well I found myself in that predicament the other day, with not a lot of time, and I decided to cut up a bunch of good things and serve them al a carte in a muffin tin. It was the same old thing, but a different presentation and sometimes I think that makes all the difference. The kids loved it! I gave them all a bowl and toothpicks and away they went. In about 20 minutes, the muffin tin was empty and we were all happy.

Jack of All Trades

2008-09-06T19:06:00.000-06:00

But a master of none. That is me to a TEE. Really. I think it's called the curse of creativity. There are so many wonderful fabrics, papers, foods, books, styles, projects, etc., there is no way to fit it all in. Not being able to "fit it all in" is one of the most crazy things of our day. Because no one can! And if we try, we will go nutty.
So, I try to prioritize, and when I have a few seconds, I dabble. I dabble in whatever suits my fancy that day. Usually in 10-15 minute increments, between running the kids to and from or following my two-year old around the house. My goals are much loftier than my completed projects, which has led me to an overabundance of good fabric, paper, ribbon, and cookbooks. One day I will get to it!!! I will, I will! I absolutely love to create and I'm realizing more and more how fulfilling it is. So, this personal blog is a way for me to share the goodness of cooking, sewing, creating, reading, and mothering with you.