Thanksgiving Turkeys

I take no credit for these. I had to share them though because they are so cute! My kids made them at pre-school. From observation they used two cookies about 3-4 inches round, rice krispy treats shaped into a ball, chocolate icing (it tastes like canned), and candy corn to make these. I think they would be so fun for the kids to do at a family gathering!

Starfish Necklace Charm

We made starfish necklace charms.

Use a starfish pattern under a peice of wax paper. I tape wax paper down for stability.

Then put lots of glue inside your starfish pattern. (Lots because it shrinks up and can be flimsy if you put too little.)

Next place a paper clip inside your starfish with the top of it sticking out a little for your loop for the necklace.
Glue over the paper clip again. Make sure the loop of the clip is still visible.

Then put glitter, beads, sequins, sand, small shells in glue to decorate your starfish.

We used lots and lots of glitter!!!! You must allow them to dry overnight or even a couple of days. If yours are really sturdy you can peel them off of the wax paper like I do my window clings, but I just cut around the edges leaving the wax paper on for strength.

String them up and wear them!
Show them off!!!

Mermaids

My example diaorama.

When we started three weeks ago with school, aside from our regular texts and curriculuum I asked my daughter what she would like to learn about. I named some typical school units I had from when I taught like transportation and apples, but I was sure to tell her we could study anything she wanted. She chose Volcanoes. I was a bit skeptical about starting a subject as complex as that for a 5 year old. It was great. I knew from teaching that children will rise to your expectations and so I got books on many levels as well as some DVD's on the subject. She devoured it! It was great fun. So then time rolled around for us to do it all over again and she chose mermaids!!! There were a few fictional books for kids and only two folklore books from tales of mermaids around the world.

I read the folklore stories to her and she loved the different tales and finding where the story came from on the map. We talked about some different mythical creatures and she was very releived to know that giants and monsters are not real.

Her favorite book by far is one called Mermaid Dreams. It is a very cute story and she used it to base her own book on complete with illustrations and writing. Here are a few of my favorite pages:
She got so into the making of books that she also made me a book on fashion (yes she has taken me on as a project) and her brother a book on trucks.
We did an art project using Cray Pas, watercolor, glitter, rhinestones and shells. (She added the title of the book before I noticed.)
We also made mermaid dioramas. Her mermaid is asleep because the mermaid in the book Mermaid Dreams sleeps at the end.
She loved watching Aquamarine the movie.

She also spontaneously made her own mermaid paper dolls and acted out a "puppet" play with them.

Happy mermaid dreams to you!

Trash to Treasure Train Table

So my mother in law had this in her storage room in her house. I was looking for an old coffee table to transform into a train table. Train tables in toy stores are outrageuosly priced! My husband cut a new top out of MDF and I painted the base and the top. I also changed the knobs so it did not scream 1970's. The kids have spent hours at this table. There are drawers for storing additional train parts. Best of all it was free!

Princess Camp

This year I spent some $$$ for my oldest to attend Princess Camp. She loved it. They did do some really clever things. The jewelry box and necklaces they made have long since disappeared, but we still have a few great items.

They made capes out of fleece material with ribbons hot glued to tie around her neck.

They made skirts out of ribbon and tulle and rhinestones and crowns were decorated.

They made princess wands out of wooden dowels and hearts.

Her favorite was the mermaid they made out of clay.

Their entire outfit was worn on the last day of camp and they used the teacups they made for a tea party with the Queen of Art. Awwww. If I ever have to do another princess party I might be stealing a few of these activities!!!

Sailor Party

My neighbor had a sailor themed party for her son. I had to show pictures of what she did because I think it was really clever. They had some old fence panels that were going to the trash and she pulled a few aside to transform their existing swingset into a ship! Ahoy!

First Letter Recognition

My 3 year olds are learning the first letter of their names. In an attempt to help them recognize it better I did this.

I got out some seed beads I have had (no joke) since I was about 12, as well as plain white glue with food coloring added, stencils.

I put the stencils down on cardstock and glued in the letter. I gave them some seed beads in a bowl.

They got busy right away and loved every minute of it!

They turned out really festive and cute and the twins were very proud of their letters.

The Girls Room is Growing Up

My daughters are growing up. So the crib has now turned into a toddler bed and we have a bunk bed in anticipation of the toddler bed leaving sometime in the next couple of years. However, our boy wants to share the girls room also and so he sleeps in the bottom bunk while his twin sister is in that toddler bed and big sister is in the top bunk. Whew, did I get that out right? Anyway, the bunk hits you smack in the face when you walk in the door. So to jazz it up I added these letters from my girl's names. On to the next project. My oldest daughter has decided that her room should be pink. I painted the room green in the first place to avoid the whole pink thing. I love pink as an accent to green, just not entire walls of it. I managed to persuade her to let me put color on her walls in the way of painting the murals I put on there before in just white. The murals are coming along slowly.

So I wanted a dust ruffle to hide the stuff under the bed and started shopping for a tulle one. They are hard to find and crazy expensive. So I modified a king size white one that I had to fit the bed and added gathered tulle and voila! Pretty cute!

Lately

So things around here have been busy.

We had a month of swim lessons,

end of the year at preschool events,

finishing up a year on the board of the local MOMS Club,

and a family trip.

On our trip we went to Fossil Rim. We made friends with a zebra.

We also fed a giraffe.

He had a long tongue.
He was very proud of it.

We also went to Sweet Berry Farms, a pick-your-own berries farm.

The strawberries were all gone.
The blackberries were ready.
and tasty.

It was HOT! It was a good excuse to eat homemade strawberry popsicles.

We also took the kids fishing.

We spent a day at the Longhorn Caverns State Park,

and spent an afternoon at the Billy the Kid Museum.

We have been just having some general family fun!

I have also spent time recently at a homeschooling convention (plus lots of investigating curriculum and local clubs and co-ops), and tending to some family drama that has kept my creative juices from flowing. I tend to have to be inspired or in the mood anyway. So even though nobody is keeping score that is what I have been up to lately. Hope to be "in the mood again" soon!

Fourth of July Trifle

This was super yummy and super easy.

Sweet Baby M

So I have a friend who does really awesome baby stuff. I have always wanted to try it. So when my dearest friend of 21 years told me she was finally having a girl I had to make her a little something. Two burp cloths and a wipee/diapee case. Welcome sweet baby M.

Another easy holiday treat!

For the twin's preschool class party.

I saw this add from a Land O Lakes butter coupon where they used marshmallow and chow mein noodles to make these baskets. They added licorice as handles and died green food coloring for grass.

When I saw the add I thought "HEY! that would work with my easy Fiber One cereal treats and give my kids some fiber! It literally cuts your time down to about 5-10 minutes. I love Candi Quik white chocolate that melts in the microwave, but I had some Wilton left over from my Valentine lolli pops. I used a muffin tin to shape the nests and just left a dip in the middle for the egg candy. I used paper baking cups on some and just sprayed Pam on the pan for others to see if there was a difference, but they both came out perfectly! How fun!

Candy Pizza

When I was a kid my mom would make fruit pizza. It was exactly this recipe with fruit on top instead of candy. It is great for dinner party dessert. This version is great for kids. We made it for my kids preschool party.

12 inch round pizza pan

pre-made roll of sugar cookie dough room temp

Spray your pan with cooking spray or it will stick!!! place cookie dough on pan and start spreading it flat into one large "pizza crust." Place in oven at package stated temperature and start checking the crust at the shortest time stated on the package. From there I just checked it every minute and removed it when it was golden brown.

For the icing you will mix with a mixer:

2 cups of powdered sugar

1/2 cup of cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract

You can put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble. Then get with the fun part. My kids loooove making this! Although their decorating is a little more free spirited than mine above, but it is soooo fun and real yummy!

Update

I thought I would show you guys the Valentine treats that will be off with my kids for preschool tomorrow. Directions were in my previous post. They are so easy and lots of fun!

Valentine Treats in FIVE MINUTES!!!

These are soooo quick and easy! Found them in a magazine. I am sorry I don't remember which one!!! Put chocolate chips or melting wafers in a plastic bag. Zip the bag where there is still a one inch opening. Place in microwave for one minute. Check it. Then microwave again in 30 second increments until completely melted. Cut a 1/2 inch off the bottom corner of the bag and squirt free hand onto wax paper. When you lay your lollipop stick into the chocolate twirl it so the stick is good and covered in chocolate. Drop sprinkles on top. Allow to harden. To speed hardening place the wax paper on a cookie sheet before beginning and place cookie sheet in fridge. My kids thought this was super cool and we will be making them again for the preschool class with pink and white melting wafers!!! The chocolate was warm in the bag, but not too warm for the kids to help. You be the judge whether it is too hot for your kiddos.

Hope Chest Makeover

One of my all time favorite things to do is take an old, outdated and no longer loved furniture item and update it!!! So when I got this hand me down hope chest I was soooo tickled!

Before

After

Paint, fabric and new knobs is all a girl needs to be happy!

Bear Cub Prints Climbing a Tree

A huge amount of my creative ideas require my husbands great talents as a handyman. I actually put that attribute on my list of things I was looking for in a man and voila! Anyway, that was seven years ago and lots of projects later we are at some cute bear cub wall hooks that came from Tar-jay with the other outdoorsy themed stuff in my boys room. I wanted them placed (securely) on this old peice of barnwood my man has been holding onto for a few years. He is awesome and here is the result!

Reindeer Food

So we have been ill for a week and all of our fun holiday plans were ruined. One great thing we were going to do with friends was make reindeer food. So easy, and the craft part is with things you have on hand already if you are a crafter! (These bags are also great to give gifts in and cookies to the neighbors!!!!) I got the poem here.

It reads:

Sprinkle on the lawn at night

The moon will make it sparkle bright
As Santa's reindeer fly and roam

This will guide them to your home.

To make the reindeer bag you need:

brown paper bag

google eyes

pom pom nose

ribbon and bell

construction paper for handprint antlers

I recommend putting the "food" in the bag first so the bag can dry after you do the following steps, or give the bags some time to dry before doing the food.

Round off the top of the paper bag to be the pointed nose of the deer. Fold the top down about 3 inches and glue a pom pom to the tip of the top of the bag. Glue google eyes on. Glue the antler handprints in place. Glue poem on front of bag.

For food:

1 tablespoon oatmeal

dash of glitter (magic dust to help the reindeer see your lawn)

Cookie Swap

I went to my first ever cookie swap. It seems that everyone else gets invited to several each year and I just got my first invite. I wanted to do one myself this year, but when I did a search online it was quite overwhelming the rules and organizing that some people put into it. I am happy to report that my friend did not have any major restrictions other than that they are homemade. Some even did candy type cookies and no-bake cookies which I personally think makes it more interesting and fun! So I might even throw my own next year. Here are the cookies I made.

Easy Toffee

It can be no surprise by now that when it comes to cooking I am all about easy. I have a recipe for toffee I have been meaning to try for years, but it calls for soy-lecethin. Who has that lying around? So I saw this the other day and had to do it!! It is YUM!

So when I was all done and the guilt set in I made these to go with our whole grain spaghetti and no sugar added marinara sauce!