birthdays to date

Miss A wanted an Artist Party. SO.....

The portriate of her is frosting on a sugar cookie. I used the wax paper method- so easy! Put a picture behind a piece of wax paper. Trace your picture with frosting (if you want it different colors then you need to color it that way just like you would a coloring page). Freeze it for a couple hours, then peel it off onto the cake! The paint brush is a large pretzle covered in tootsie roll and dipped in frosting.

These cute cookies are the thank you gift. I made the paint brush mini and the colors are skittles.

This was lunch! Colorful noodles (neon colors) Cook pasta according to package. Sepearte into as many colors as you like, and add food coloring. Swirl it around until you get the color you want. Rinse and return to the same pot. We added a little butter and parmesan cheese to it. It was yummy

Miss E wanted a spa party for her 11th birthday

Miss O got the Minnie cake, she "always wanted"

What to do with 50+ pounds of Halloween candy

I know this post is a little late, but I've had requests for it, so here you go!

Because we already had lots of candy- we only went out for about 30 mins this year- here's the haul.

And this is what they got at Disneyland -um that is a king size bed- if you are wondering (this candy filled a big suitcase all by itself!)

My Hubby LOVES Halloween!  He The kids are often the first out and the last in!  This year, thanks to our trip to Disneyland, we broke our record (which usually hangs out around 30 pounds) and got over 50 POUNDS OF CANDY!!!!  Since no one family should devour,  enjoy eat that much candy, I have come up with all kinds of things to do.  Here's a list of the top 10ish

1.  Let the kids make a Thanksgiving/Christmas countdown.  Every day they get to eat one candy. (we usually forget a lot of times, but then there is extra to share with visitors throughout the season)
 Roll out plastic wrap- down a long hall is best- take the candy and wrap it up, tie each of the sides with curling ribbon, and each day snip one off!  My family is so big that I needed to do snack bags and just tie them on- or put them in a big tub!  This will take up a lot of wall space if you decide to hang it up.  Ours went around all the pictures in our front room!

2.Save some of that for Christmas!  Give Santa a little break and freeze (or hide) some of that candy!  Be sure it doesn't have Halloween pictures on it, and put it away.  It's great to stuff stockings with, and it doesn't cost you a thing!

3. Send it to the troops over seas- I've only done this for our family soldiers, but I know there are programs out there to send it with.

4.  There are dentists all over that will buy it from you- you wont make much, but it's better than all that sugar!

5. Introduce your kids to the "Switch Witch".  If they leave out their candy, (after you let them have a piece or two) then the Switch Witch will come that night and switch the candy with a movie (or a whole movie night with  a bag of popcorn and Capri suns!), a new coloring book and crayons, or any kind of fun thing you can think of that your kids would like.  then refer to the list to see how you can get rid of the candy without eating it all yourself!

6. Donate it to your kids school!  I often have teachers  who have  Stores for box tops, class stores, or give the kids small candies throughout the year for various things.  They also often need it for ginger bread houses. The money for these treats comes right out of the teachers pocket.  Share the booty for a season, and lighten their load! (Teachers will also take McDonald's toys or other small toys your kids don't play with anymore, if they are in good condition.)  Just talk with them and see what kinds of programs they are using.

7.Use it in your baking- one year my hubby got sick of the candy and chopped it all up and put it in the freezer.  Whenever  I made pancakes I would get some out and put it in the batter.  Then I didn't need syrup, and the kids loved it!

8.  Candy is AMAZING for decorating cakes!  If you can withstand having some in your home, use it throughout the year for birthdays and friends birthdays!  Anything like taffy and tootsie rolls can be warmed a little in the microwave and used to mold anything you want!

9. Save it for Valentines day.  Let the kids pick out what they will want in the beginning, so you will have enough of one kind of candy for each child (I usually plan on 25-30 per kid.. and it makes my life easier if each kid has only one kind, and it is different from each of the other kids)

10. Science Experiments- candy is great for eating heating, melting, dissolving, coloring, and playing with! 

11.- just one more!  Let your kids know you want to do a gingerbread house party!  Save that candy for a little while, and invite friends over for a great party!  All you need is graham crackers and frosting (well maybe a little more festive candies...)

If you have more left over after all these things, you need to join my hubby on Halloween night for a candy collecting contest!!!

Almost Free Valentines quick, easy, and the kids can do them!

It's time to be making those crazy Valentines!
I started doing this a couple years ago, and it works great!
After Halloween (We always wind up with WAY too much candy- this year is our record at 50 some pounds- if you want to see what I do with it all, click ), I let the kids pick out what candy they want to use for Valentines- but you can go get a new bag from the store too.  We count it out, write thier name on it, and freeze it (if it's chocolate).  Then we pull it back out and let them come up with a clever little quip to add to the candy.  For my little guys- who can't tie yet, I really like to print them on adress labels, because they can peel and put the sticker on!  Some years we do pictures, and some years they sign them, it just depends on how much time  work  energy love we are willing to put into them. 
Here's this years!

This one is my favorite it reads "Skittle" be great if you're my valentine!

"Won't you be my "sweet tart"?

I'm a "sucker" for you, Valentine!

You're "sweet" Valentine.

 you're "sweet Valentine!

daily valentine for my hubby

Around the new year of 2010, I stared a "what I love about you" journal for my husband. I wrote at least one thing I loved about him, or I was thankful for about him EVERY DAY for over a year- then I gave it to him v-day 2011. I really enjoied how it changed my thoughts towards him, and brought me closer to him- even though he had no idea I was doing it. So i've decided to do it again for the month of february. I got myself a picture frame from the closet, a piece of scrapbook paper - it was 12x12, but I cut it down to 81/2x11 to print on it,and trimmed it to fit in my frame (which is a document frame, so I didn't need to take much off. Jeff is a NO frills kind of guy, so I went with blue- it does have a light swirl pattern to it, but it's pretty simple. I picked a font I liked and printed out the words "I love you because. . . " Every day I plan to write him a note and leave it around our room for him to find. I might even leave it in his car the last day- otherwise I might not get it back in time for the next day). Use a dry erase marker (or if you have to use a permenant marker, make sure you have hair spray to take it off with!). Then you can just wipe it off and write a new one every day! I think this would be fun to do for the kids as well, but lets not get too carried away, I'm already doing other valentines things for them!

14 valentines for my kidos

I am always looking for ways to tell my kids I love them.  So this year, I am going to give them a valetine for 14 days.I figure snack time is as good as any to remind them how precious they are to me, so here are my ideas! (I might even sneak them into my hubbies lunch, he would like everything but the car, I may need to make his car out of jelly beans and candy!)  these are not in order, but I will try to get pictures up of them as I do them!

1. I "wheelie" like spending time with you!  Here's an example of a car with veggies, but the variations are endless!

2. I (heart) you.  This is from http://familyfun.go.com/valentines-day/valentines-day-recipes/valentine-treats-gallery-838251/#Puppy%20Love;24

I used little smokies an toothpicks for mine, but didn't take a picture.  It works the same way. (if I send this for my hubby, I will use bratworse or other large sausages)

3.  You're "egg"actly what love, Valentine

http://www.likecool.com/Heartshaped_egg--DIY--Gear.html

4. M&M's with a note that says "You're Magnificent and Marvelous, valentine!"

5.  goldfish with a note that says "you're a real "catch," Valentine!

6. A ballon filled with string cheese is what I am thinking- this one will need to be done right before they get home.  The note will read " You're a "burst" of fresh air or I'm just "bursting" with pride that you're my valentine!"

7. a banana  "I'm bananas for you!"

8.raisins "There are lots of "raisins" I love you, but my favorite is because you are you!"

9.apple  "You're the apple of my eye"

10. Kix cereal in a baggie  "I get kix out of you!"

11. mini pizza in the shape of a heart with a note "youre a real "pizza" work, valentine!

12.grapes "It's "grape" to be loved by you"

 13. popcorn  "Just "poppin" in to say I love you!"

14.berries "I love you berry much!"

valentine love

This is a cute, quick and cheap decoration!  I got some valentine candycorns, poured them into this square vase and added a chocolate heart shapped candle (cause I had them) but I think it would be just as cute witha red  tea light in it! I tied a piece of red tulle around the outside to finish them off.

Pictoral Family Sign

 

Family sign

I wanted something

• long,
• skinny,
• able to hold pictures,
• add some beauty and match the colors of my kitchen and front room (since you can see them both from the front door)
• I wanted the quote "Family, forever, always and no matter what.
• I didn't want to pay a whole lot for it!

I was simply asking too much from retail stores. No one had what I wanted. SO... I made it myself!
Here is the result...

LOVE IT!!

supplies needed:

wood letters

paint of color choice

ribbion to match your room

6 frames- same color and size

really strong glue

clear tape

pictures

1. Went to local craft store, picked out my wood letters (mine are about 8 inches tall).

2. bought all the supplies listed above. Got everything on sale, bigger bonus! I went to the dollar store, and bought 6 matching 5x7 frames. I didn't want to use anything too expensive, just in case it didn't work out.

3. Paint letters, and let them dry

While they are drying you get to have a snack, change out a load of laundry, check your blog, all that fun stuff that makes the world go round!

4. When you are ready to work again, tie your ribbion onto the dry letters. I just added a little ribbion here and there until I was happy with the way it looked.

5. This is the hardest step of the whole thing. Pick 6 pictures~! I spent hours getting lost in pictures and trying to find some that had all the family in them! It was a really treat I tell you!

6 Once you weed out the good and find just the right ones, then you want to add your words. I used Adobe on my computer, but I think you can do it in word as well, just write over the top of your pictures. The quote I wanted is "Forever Always and no matter what." so each of my pictures has one word on it.

I wanted my pictures black and white so that they did not overwhelm the wall, and I wanted them cheap, so I just went into my Adobe program, lighted up the area where I wanted the words, added words to each picture. (on the picture above, i photoshoped the words in so you can see them, and there aren't any pictures yet- easier for you to see the words.) I did notice that I need to go back and lighten some areas even more, because the words are harder to see on the wall... that will get to wait for another day.

7. Print your pictures. I did mine on the printer, on regular paper and am happy with how they look. You can also just print them at the store, but then you get to wait for them!

8. Line up your frames, upsidedown, and get your super strong glue out.

9. One at a time, glue your frames together- I used the 5inch side on each of my frames, you can mix yours up however you like. Make sureyou line them up and only get enough glue to hold the frames together... you don't want glue spewing out the front, not pretty!

10. If you can, check to make sure you don't have glue anywhere it shouldn't be and if you do, quickly wipe that away.

11. You get a quick break! Let the glue dry ALL THE WAY! It doesn't take as long as it seems... really. so do something else fabulous for a couple of minutes and then go back and check on it.

12. Or if you like you can use this time to trim your pictures and get them in order.

13. if you took a break- now trim your pictures and get them in order. Place them in the frames in order.

14. lift it up and make sure you have it in order.

15. I used a little clear packaging tape on the seems of the glued frames to make sure they stay where I wanted them, and keep the backs on the frames.

16. Make sure you have your pictures the correct dirrection and order.

17. now take a black ribbion and either tie or glue it to each letter (I glued mine so I could get them just where I wanted them to hang... but I glued them a lot- meaning that the glue goes as far down the letter as I could get it. )

18. Let that dry a couple mins...

19. I used the hooks on the back of the frame to hold the ribbion in place, and then glued it down with that super strong glue, just to make sure it didn't go anywhere.

20. Let it dry a couple mins,

21. Hang it up! (measuring, hanging it straight, you are on your own!) I used 4 nails to get it on the wall.

22. Get a bowl of ice cream and enjoy the view! Or take a picture and post it on your blog to add some joy to someone elses day!

Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Coolest lap desk ever!

$1 tv tray or lap desk , car ride table, send it with college kids, this is a one in all space saver!

I am excited about this little project! I have been thinking about it for quite a while now and am so glad that I had a reason that I had to get it done! It turned out really cute! It cost me a whole dollar, I had everything but the cookie sheet. I don't think this would cost very much to make even if you have to go buy everything. It took me an hour to make.

You will need:
1 cookie sheet (I got mine at the dollar store) I think the size inside (cooking area) is 9x13, but i didn't really check. if you don't know how big it is, just give yourself three extra inches on the each of the handle sides and 8 inches on each of the other two sides.
material 26 inches wide x 19 inches tall (you will need more if you have a bigger cookie sheet.
ribbon mine is 1 1/2 inches wide and 30 inches long- you need two strips of this.
all and hammer or drill
glue gun or favorite adhesive
batting or piece of foam to fit under tray- just a little bigger than your cookie sheet.
sewing machine

First make sure your batting (I would guess you could even use an old blanket or towel folded up, or an old pillow cut to size would work). I used both because my foam was just a little small. It needs to be just as big as the pan, so that the edges come all the way under the handles.

Measure your material like I mentioned above, just give yourself three extra inches on the each of the handle sides and 8 inches on each of the other two sides. then measure the inside of your cooking area. Mine is 9 inches, so I marked a spot at 3 inches and 6 inches for the holes. Repeat the process for the other handle.

use an all and hammer or a drill to punch holes into the handle.

The back side is VERY sharp! I learned that first hand~ nothing a Dora band aid couldn't fix, but it bled like crazy! SO, when you are done. . .

take a pair of pliers and smash those sharp edges down. I would actually recommend using a needle nose pair so that you can keep the hole big. I had to use a screwdriver to reopen the hole, so I could get the ribbon through.

Next I stitched the bating because i wanted a roll on each side of the pan-under the handles. If you measure just the right size, you probably can skip this step. I like the extra on mine.

I don't like to measure and be exact, so I just put the pan on the batting - just to make sure I had things just about right. I did need to trim my batting just a little to get just the right size.

fold the material into thirds- right side out...you want the edges where it will come together to be in the center of the underside of the pan. Lay the pan onto the material. you are looking to line the ribbon up under the holes you made. it doesn't have to be perfect, but you will want to get the ribbon close to centered under each hole. Pin into place - top layer of the material only.

Sew (or glue) the ribbon into place on the top layer only.

Once you are done with the ribbon, you need to pull it tight and pin it into place in the center- we are going to sew the edges up. I take as many shortcuts as i can, but this one is important- you don't want to sew the ribbion into the wrong place and have to take it all out and start again!

SO, flip it wrong side out, into the three folds. Pin it if you like and sew up the sides of fabric- where the handles are.

this is it finished wrong side out- the center where the white strip is, is NOT sewn.

this is because now we need to turn it right side out, open our pocket and put the batting in!

Now all the batting is all in. Unpin the ribbon. I put my pan on to check that it still fit where I wanted it.

I then did a really basic stitch to hold this closed. you could probably use really strong glue just as well. no one will see this edge, so it's not a big deal.

This is an optional step- I used this really strong E-6000 glue and ran a strip down the center. I don't think it really needed it, but just in case, I didn't want it to go anywhere!

Put your pan on top- I chose to put the baking area down against the material because I wanted to play a dice game while traveling. if you want a writing area, you can easily turn it over so the handles are against the material- I would go for a stronger cookie sheet if you go for a writing desk. The dollar store one is a little flimsy for that.

Push the pan against the glue if you glued it- again not sure you need it, it was really secure when I was done, but I wasn't sure it would be. You could also glue under each corner- in about an inch or so if you are worried about it coming undone. If you don't glue it, you could take it off and wash the underside- so it's up to you!

Pull the ribbon (or use a needele and push it through the hole) through the hole. My ribbon might have been just a little big for the size of my hole. It pulled a little, but turned out okay. You could also use thin ribbon and put beads on once you pull it through. Then I would probably put the thin ribbon back to the underside and tie it off really good, might even stitch it back through the batting and material to make sure it stays well. I am a firm believer that if I am going to make it, it is going to last!

My ribbion was too thick for a pretty bow, so I did a double know instead. I think if I had used a thinner ribbion I could have done a cute little bow, but this is pretty darn cute too!

don't forget to melt the edge of your ribbion so it doesn't frey!

this is the side look once it's all done.

That's it! now you are ready to enjoy your fun little table!

I bought the dice at the dollar store, and attached how to play our favorite dice game, ZONK.

Happy gaming all!

Halloween tulle wreath

Halloween Wreath out of lefto overs~

Sadly, the pictures don't show how cute this project really is!

This one cost me absolutely nothing! Everything I had was just taking up space in my house!

This is the back side of the wreath, but it could easily be the front! I haven't taken a picture of it finished because I haven't hung it up yet! Mine has a white Ghost bell hanging in the center to finish it off. I will try to get a picture up soon!

You will need

a picture frame. mine is 8x10 in size, and was already black. Take the glass and back out. if yours is a different color, you can easily paint it.

a whole lot of tulle! Mine is left over from costumes, so it's just strips of black, black with purple sparkles, black with red sparkles and then the orange. I am going to say you need a yard total, maybe a yard and a half if you like it really full.

You will also need some fun little Halloween thing to hang from the center. and a thin black ribbon to attach it to the frame.

Here's how to do it! Just cut your strips into roughly 10-12 inch strips. Either push the little metal pieces that hold the glass in as far into the frame as you can or pull them out with a pair of pliers. Tie the tulle around the frame in whatever pattern you like. I tied all mine on the same side, but you could tie some in front and some in back if you like. Keep tying until you like how full it is, or until you run out of tulle.

That's it! I used a thin black ribbon to tie around the top of the frame and into my ghost bell, which hangs about half way down. I used a decoration that is the same on both sides so I can make either side the front. I like the tulle peaking out the back and my kids like it all puffy, so we can change it up! Hang it whichever way you like and enjoy your quick and easy project!