Toilet Paper Roll Cord Keepers

Imagine your decorating for Christmas.  The lights you hang won't quite reach to the nearest outlet.    You head to the box where you store extension cords, only to discover they are all tangled or knotted together.  After a few minutes of untangling them, you finally get it free.  Are you tired of these tangled cords? My mom got tired of this problem a long time ago.  We came up with a solution that became one of my favorite childhood crafts.  Just yesterday, I shared this craft with my daughter for the first time.

What You Need:
-empty toilet paper role, paper towel roll, or other cardboard tube
-crayons, markers, or paint

Instructions:
**Decorate any way you would like and HAVE FUN!

 

 

Pssst - Parents beware:  As a kid, I would sell these to my mom for money.

 

Now, fold extension cord in half a couple times (the number of times you can do this depends on how heavy duty your cord is).  Then stick the ends through the toilet paper roll and throw it in a box.  And Ta Da:  They're ORGANIZED!  No more knots!

 



 

 

 

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New Adventure Creative Card

Is someone you know getting ready to go on a new adventure or start a new chapter in their life?  Maybe they have just graduated college and are ready to step into their dream job.  Maybe someone is moving to a new state or our out on their own for the first time.  Maybe it's a new job after being employed at one place for many, many years.  Whatever the journey may be, why not send them a creative card to support them and let them know your thinking of them.  That's where this idea originated.  A family member of mine has finally landed her dream job and I want her to know how excited we are for her.

So, what image do you think of when consider a journey or heading out on a new path?  For me, it was footprints!  Hmmm, where can I find footprints?  I know!  I know!  My kids.  And let's face it, who doesn't get giddy anytime you see something made from the footprint or handprint of a special child in your life.  There just so cute!  Yep, we decided to make a mess.  We pulled out the finger paint and made footprints onto a card.  

I used stock paper folded in half, hamburger-style.  I put one set of footprints on the outside and one on the inside.  We did bigger footprints (my three-year-old) on the front cover of the card and smaller footprints (11 month old) on the inside.  The thought behind this was that the footprints would appear smaller as they got farther away.    Then we put a little saying with the prints, "Best Wishes On Your New Path."  And don't forget a message along with it and sign your names!  A reminder that God has great plans for them, would be wonderful too, of course!  Oh, and no worries.  If you don't have children around to use for your footprints, use your own!  You just might have to adjust the size of your paper!

 

 

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Homeade Taco Hamburger Helper

Again, I love the taste of Hamburger Helper, but I don't like to buy it because I don't think boxed stuff like that is very healthy.  So, I developed my own Taco version.  Now, I'm sure I'll will disappoint some of you - I don't have the exact measurements of the ingredients for you.  Why?  Because I follow a pinch of this and a dash of that method of cooking.  I will however, try to give you an idea of amounts.   Also, I will also share with you two versions of the same recipe.

 

This is the cheese sauce version.

To make, you will need:
1 pound of ground beef, browned with desired amount of onion, and then drained. 
Elbow macaroni, cooked and drained.  (I will guess I sue about 2 cups cooked). 
sweet peppers - variety of colors or whatever you have on hand
Ground spices: cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, basil, and chili powder)
hot sauce
cheddar cheese

After the beef is browned and drained, add a few dashes of each spice.  I don't always add cayenne pepper.  It depends how hot I want it and who is eating it.  Then I add a few dashes of hot sauce.

Then, mix the macaroni and peppers in with the meat. Last stir in desired amount of shredded cheddar cheese.  Cover and let melt.

So, what's the other version, you ask?  It a cheesier version:

To make Cheesy Homemade Taco Hamburger Helper:

First, brown beef and onions, drain and add spices as in the first version.  Add macaroni and peppers.

Second, make a white sauce with cheese.  To do this:  Melt one tablespoon butter in a small sauce pan.  Next, add 1 tablespoon four, a dash of salt, and a dash of pepper.  Stir and cook for a minute or so.  The add the milk (not all at once).  Constantly stir until thick and bubbly.  Once it bubbles, stir for 1 to 2 minutes more.  Then add 1 cup of cubed cheese. I use Velveta.  Stir until melted.  Then add a few dashes of hot sauce to the cheese sauce.  Then add the cheese sauce to the browned beef and macaroni.  Yum!  Enjoy!


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Kid's Keepsake Craft Box

It's starting to pile up.  The cute craft projects made by my darling daughter who is three.  The ones I can't bear to throw away.  No, I don't keep every single colored picture or anything like that.  If I did that, my house would be stuffed by the time I am forty.  But there are certain ones I don't want to part with.  The ones that really get me are those that are made with a foot or hand print.    I especially enjoy those that she brings home from daycare, Sunday School, or VBS.  We also love to do crafts together.

I knew I needed to find a place to store these special keepsakes.  Many of them are displayed somewhere in the house, at least for a little while.  But eventually they must come down, to make room for something new.  I finally had an idea.  A craft that we could do together.

I emptied a shoe box. Unfortunately all of them were in use.  Then we gathered some of these "projects for saving" and used decoupage to glue them to the box.  We mainly used her handprint crafts and a simple craft project that she had done at daycare where she decorated her name.  I also traced her hands onto construction paper, cut those out, and put them on the box. 

 

Brylee loves to "use the scissors" to cut out paper.  She is very good at making confetti.  So, I let her cut paper while I put on her craft items.  When I was done with that, I let her decorate the box with the paper scraps.    Well, actually it was a combined effort!  I also cut out some shapes from some of her "painted" pictures from daycare and put those on, too.  Then we covered the entire box in a coat of decoupage.  It was a very fun mother/daughter project!   We would have painted the box first, but since it was already a nice, lovely orange color, we just broke out the decoupage and got our fingers sticky!!

 

 

 

I'm already saving a couple handprint/footprint pictures that daycare did with my baby boy.  Guess I better go shoe shopping so I can get another box!!!

 

I hope you enjoy making your Keepsake Craft Box with your special kid!

 

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A Mom Moment

Meal time had become super frustrating, as of late.  A bargaining table.  If you eat this, then you can have this.  Some of the bad habits started because we often just take one food item, eat it and then take the next when we are done with the first.   The consequences were that are three-year old would often eat a lot of what she liked best and little of the other, maybe, healthier food items. 

I'm not sure how it happened, but some how we were needing to find a way to encourage her to eat her food, or to at least try a food.  We would start off saying you need to eat 10 bites and after each bite she ate we would subtract one finger.   Hey - this worked great for helping her learn to count, and especially count backwards.  And then somehow along the way, it turned into her getting a reward for each 10 bites - maybe one chip or one of something else she really liked.  It worked o.k. at first, but eventually she learned how to use the system and do her own bargaining.  She bargained for only five bights and then three.

I eventually couldn't take it anymore.  Something had to change.  I started by correcting some of the bad habits....... and now things are much better, calmer, and more relaxing.

We began putting all food on her plate at the beginning of a meal.  If chips are part of the meal, they go on her plate.  If she wants to eat them first, she can.   In the past we always gave chips last.   It gives her some control back into meal time.  Yet at the same time, Mom and Dad still ultimately have control.  In order for her to get seconds of any of her favorite foods, she first has to clean everything off her plate.  This has helped her eat more of the good foods, and often, now she doesn't want seconds of her favorites (for example a hot dog), because she is already full.  It is working great! 

We also set a timer.  If the timer goes off and her food is not finished, we take it away.  This may seem harsh.  But we offer plenty of time.  We are slow eaters (I didn't used to be, but I've become like my husband).  Meal time is family time.  The reason behind this is that she will learn meal time is for eating, not playing.  She knows the rules.  If she doesn't clean her plate or her plate gets taken away (usually around 45 minutes), then she does not get any snacks or treats.  No food until the next meal time.   I think we have only taken away her food once. 

Most of the time she cleans her plate at every meal.  It has cut down on a lot of the playing at the table.  Often we no longer set the timer, but wait to set it if she is goofing off.  If it gets set, then she knows we are serious.  If she doesn't clean her plate, she is usually clear that she is done.  She knows then she doesn't get a treat - extra's of her favorites (lately this is blueberries!), candy, ice cream, or chips if they are on the table but were not on her plate, etc.  She does not get a treat after every meal, but she knows the eligibility requirements.  The only other rule is that she has to TRY everything on her plate.  Most often the things she doesn't want to try, she likes and eats all gone.

I only hope this works as well on our second child who is currently in the messy baby food stage.  That reminds me - it's time to make more baby food.  I post this only in hope it may give someone else an idea who is struggling through meal time.

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Ten Commandment VBS Craft!

I'm making it through VBS week, despite having had strep throat.  Yes, with God all things are possible!!!!  One more day!!

One of the first places I turn for craft ideas for VBS is the internet. 

So, I wanted to share one of the ideas I developed for this year with you.  I hope to help someone who is looking for ideas, like me. 

The story for the first day was Moses and the ten commandments.  Here is the craft we did:



 Mt. Sinai and 10 Commandments Sculpture

 

 

 

Instructions:

 

 

Day 1:

Supplies:  clay, 2 small paper plates, toothpick, yogurt container, egg carton piece (use corner pieces only from the egg carton), newspaper, paper Mache (1/2 flour 1/2 water or more), glue

1.      Begin by gluing the egg carton piece (point up) to the bottom of the yogurt container.

 

 

2.      Divide clay into two equal pieces and shape two stone tablets out of each

3.      Using the toothpick, write the numbers 1-5 on one tablet, 6-10 on the other.  Leave to dry overnight. 

4.      Set top of yogurt container on to paper plate. Tear strips of newspaper and dip in paper Mache, cover the entire yogurt container, egg carton piece, and part of paper play.  Work from top down.  Leave to dry overnight or two nights, maybe.

 

Day 2:

Supplies:  dark gray paint, lighter gray paint, paint brushes, dishes for paint, water to rinse brushes, cardboard circles, felt, markers to trace, scissors, glue, glue gun

1.      Paint mountain dark gray.

2.      Paint clay tablets with light gray paint. 

3.      Cut cardboard circle out (I used a Cool Whip container as a pattern).

4.      Trace cardboard circle onto felt (color of choice and cut out).

5.      Glue felt on to cardboard circle

*At this point you may choose to let the paint dry and finish later or the next day  OR you can be messy, like me (but not as bad as the paper Mache) and just get it done!

6.      Cut out mountain from paper plate and glue to felt.

7.      Glue tablets into standing position against mountain.

 

 

The kids loved it!!  It was messy and fun.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Penguin Party Hats and Penguin Party Fun!!!!!

More penguin themed stuff from the birthday party!  Who doesn't love party hats for a birthday party?

We made our own and they turned out adorable!!!!!!!!!

 

 

How to Make:

 

1.  Cut out penguin shape from black construction paper. (a combined oval and circle)

 

2.  Cut out black strip about the width of a ruler and long enough to go around child's head. You will need two strips for each hat if using construction paper.  Tape or glue them together so they are long enough.  Then glue to the penguin near the bottom.

 

3.  Cut a slightly smaller penguin shape out of cardboard and glue to the back.  This will help it stand tall when the child is wearing it.

 

4.  Cut out a smaller white oval shape and glue on for belly.

 

5.  Using a one-hole punch, punch dots out of colored paper for eyes. 

 

6.  Cut a small orange triangle for the nose.

 

7.  Cut out flippers from black paper and glue to the back so they stick out to the side slightly.

 

8.  Cut feet out of orange paper and glue to bottom.  When the feet are dry, bend the feet up where feet meet the black paper as if the penguin were standing on them.

 

9.  Cut a triangle out of colored paper to make a party hat for the penguin.  Glue this to the (front) top of the penguins' head. 

 

10.  Decorate hat as you choose.  (polka dots, stripes, plain, etc.)

 

11.  To make tassel for the penguin hat: take a colored string about a foot long and fold it four times.  Tie a not in the middle.  On one side of the knot, cut the string just a little bit below the knot.  Now, trim the tassels to the length desired.  Glue knot to the back of the penguin hat.

 

12.  When children come to the party, fit a hat on them and have fun!!!!!!!

 

 

MORE PENGUIN FUN!

 

 

The kids got to play Pin the Tummy on the Penguin.

 

The adults played a game seeing how many words they could get out of "Penguin Birthday Party".  The prize for the winner was a can of sardines wrapped in white paper.   I drew little fish on the can and wrote "Penguin Food".   (forgot to take a picture). 

 

The children got Penguin Party Favors (see previous blog post).  These also worked great as a tie down for the helium balloons. 

 

I should mention, we had everything penguin.  Our lunch was even breaded fish sandwiches to complete the theme.  They were served on black plates with white and black polka dotted cups and napkins.

 

And, of course, no penguin party would be complete without a Penguin Cake!!!

 

This was my first attempt at decorating a cake.  Didn't go great; didn't go horrible, but turned out pretty cute and yummy, too!

 

 

 

I'm sure glad I used easy shapes for this cake.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do anything more advanced.  The head was a small Corningware pan and the body and oval pan.  The feet were two cupcakes.  I originally had planned to outline the wings with white (on just the body).  However, since I goofed up my first batch of cake, I had plenty cake to use as flippers.  In all my cake decorating nervousness I forgot to add vanilla.  As I was mixing up more batter for cupcakes (I was planning to make penguin cupcakes too. A friend had shown me an adorable picture of them from a book.  Let's just say I didn't read the directions very thoroughly, couldn't find all the supplies I needed, and my quite quick attempt at ten o'clock at night on a busy and exhausting day, didn't work.)

 

Anyways, after that tangent, ten minutes after the cake was in the oven was when I realized I had forgotten the vanilla, so I added it after it had been in the oven.  It actually turned out, too.  But the perfectionist in me, couldn't let it go.  Yep, I made another.  As you can see, one flipper turned out fine.  I cut it from the side of the first cake.  The second one broke and every attempt to cut from the cakes middle, failed.  It turned out the best it could with patchwork.  The nose was a starburst cut in half.  It pleased the birthday girl, but I'm requesting cake decorating classes.  I have lots of questions.

 

It was very yummy! And we ate it on specially painted Penguin Party Plates that the own birthday girl did!  She loved the craft!!!!!!  I know what you are thinking, "you ate cake and vanilla/chocolate combo ice cream on plates that were painted by a three-year-old?"  Yep!  I've got you curious, don't I?  Don't worry.  I wouldn't feed food on anything where the paint could chip off into food.  This has been one of me favorite craft ideas ever!!!!!  And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not posting pictures or instructions, yet.  It's an idea I'm writing up as an article to submit to a magazine.  If I don't sell it, I'll post it hear.  I'll keep you posted!

 

 

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