Penguins

This is one of my all time favorite winter decorations!! My mom got it for me at a craft show 2 years ago. Each one of the penguin hats has our names. It looks so pretty when it is lit up. I think it is for the outside, but I like to keep it in where I can see it and also where it cannot get stolen.

I would think this would be fairly easy to make for any one with painting skills. It has a square base and a pole with green garland and lights running up it. The piece of paper on the top is just covering our last name for the photo, it isn't part of the design.

Valentine Fortune Cookies

I got this really cute idea to make Valentine fortune cookies from Martha Stewart.

Her site has the complete step by step instructions of how to make them. I did 2 different things when making mine than what her directions stated. First, I used hot glue. This worked very nicely! I don't have a half of a hour to wait for glue to dry! Second, I made the cookies a 4" instead of the 4 1/2" she suggests. I thought they looked a little too big and not very realistic.

I think I am going to get a smaller Chinese carry out box and place two fortune cookies inside. I am going to also put some Hershey Kisses in the box. Jaiden wants to give these to her classmates instead of the paper Valentine cards.

Chocolate Valentine Pretzels

I have seen these pretzels selling in the
"gourmet" section of our grocery for $5.00 and I made these for pennies!! The pretzels are so easy and quick to make and they make a great Valentine's treat!

You could even use regular chocolate but, I thought white chocolate went more with the "Valentine theme". You can decorate them any way with all of the festive sprinkles out there!



Chocolate Valentine Pretzels

12 oz. white chocolate chips (can use block white chocolate)
1/4 block of paraffin wax
Box of Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels*
sprinkles

Extras
wax paper
cookie sheet
knife
fork
plastic food bags
ribbon

1. Line cookie sheet with wax paper.
2. Melt wax in small pan over low heat.
3. Add chocolate and stir until melted.
4. Dip pretzel in chocolate. Use knife to get into loop to turn it over and remove from pan. With the help of the fork, lay it on wax paper.
5. Sprinkle the pretzel with sprinkles.
6. Place in freezer for 5 minutes or so. This will allow chocolate to completely set.
7. Place in plastic bag and tie with ribbon.


*Snyder's of Hanover are the larger sourdough pretzels in a brown box. I got about 10 whole pretzels out of one box, the rest were broken.

Shh!!!! I'm Sleeping!!!

Doll Cupcake

Isn't this the cutest cupcake??? I bought this for Jaiden at the grocery last week for $2. I have seen the Barbie cakes but never a cupcake before. This cupcake was big enough for all four of us! My only disappointment about the cupcake was the doll. She wasn't a complete doll, just a cake pick. Jaiden was a little upset when she wasn't allowed to have the doll. It was my fault, but I never thought she wasn't a real doll.

I thought these would be cute to make for a birthday party. Each child could have their very own cupcake with a little doll. I think you can find the dolls at Oriental Trading.

Pumpkin Roll

This was my first ever attempt to make a pumpkin roll. I have always been intimidated to make them. I decided to make one and it turned out wonderful! Since then I have made a total of 4 more.

If you have been wanting to make one, go ahead!! They aren't hard to make, just a little messy. The most time spent making them is the cooling time.

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2/3 c. pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)*
2 tsp. cinnamon

Filling
1 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
2 T. butter, very soft
8 oz. cream cheese, very soft

Extras
wax paper
powdered sugar for dusting
15x10x1 jelly roll pan

Mix all cake ingredients except eggs and pumpkin. Add eggs and pumpkin and mix well. Spread cake in to the greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Take cake out of oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Lay a sheet of wax paper on table. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen. Turn cake onto wax paper. Roll cake into a roll bring wax paper into the roll also. Be careful, cake will be hot. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

When cake has cooled, unroll. Spread filling on cake as even as possible. Roll cake back up but this time leave the wax paper just on the outside of the cake. Place in fridge for about an hour. Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve. Cake is easier to cut when it is refrigerated.

I have heard that these rolls can be frozen but, I have never tried it.

*A 29 oz. can of pumpkin makes 5 roll.

Stocking Bags

I decided to do a little something different for our Christmas stockings. I think they are just too small and cannot accommodate all of the goodies we receive. The items that won't fit into the stockings just end up in a Walmart bag on the floor next to the stockings.

I decided to eliminate the stocking all together and just go for the bag. I bought plain red paper bags at the Dollar Store. We got all kinds of glitter, stickers, markers, and paint to decorate the bags. We had had the best time making our masterpieces.

I decided to make this a tradition and keep the bags every year and give them to the girls when they get older.

Saw Clock

This is what I made my dad for Christmas this year. I bought the saw blade cut out at Hobby Lobby. I then painted it silver, bought press on clock numbers, and a clock kit. Jaiden wanted Papa Charlie to hang it in his workshop. I think it turned out really cute.

Charity Doll Pattern

These are such cute dolls that are designed to wrap their arms around a very special child. They are called Dolly Hugs and are just adorable! The only requirement to get this free doll pattern is that you do not sell the final product. Be sure to to get the patterns to make the outfits also!

Dolly Hugs

Doll Pattern

Doll Instructions

Clothing Instructions

Veggie Pizza

This is another tasty, quick and easy recipe to make. The topping possibilities are endless with all of the different types of vegetables.

Veggie Pizza

2 rolls of crescent crusts*
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. dry Ranch seasoning
1 T dried dill
finely chopped assorted vegetables**

Place both crusts on a jelly roll pan and pinch seam to form one big crust. Bake according to roll directions. Press down on crust to rid it of puffiness. Allow to cool.

Using a mixer, mix cream cheese, dill and Ranch seasoning. Spread on pizza. Cut pizza into squares. Top with favorite vegetables and shredded cheese, if desired.

*You can use the crescent rolls and pinch all of the seams. I just noticed at the grocery that Pillsbury makes a new product where the crescent rolls come in one big sheet. They are perfect for this recipe.

**I used broccoli, cauliflower, and shredded cheese.

Walking Taco

I just don't think it is possible to go to a festival, fair, or craft show around here without Walking Tacos being sold! These are so good and easy to make! Walking Tacos make a great party food, just have the meat and Fritos ready to go. Then, use a multi-section serving platter to hold salsa, cheese, sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes.

I have even cooked these for a quick and easy dinner. Ryan loves them!!


Walking Tacos

1 lb. ground beef (any ground meat)
1 pkg. taco seasoning
8 snack size bags of Fritos*
assorted taco toppings

Fry and drain meat. Add taco seasoning and water (according to directions on packet). Open Fritos and add about 2 tablespoons of meat. Top with favorite taco toppings.

*When making these for dinner, I only use 4 bags of Fritos because I use more meat for each taco to make them more filling.

Family Christmas Photos

Arya eating a Christmas cupcake

Jaiden as an angel at her Christmas play at school


Family minus Arya (too cold for her) downtown enjoying the Christmas decorations


Jaiden and Santa (I found a place that lets you take your own pictures w/ a canned food donation!)


The girls in their matching outfits outside our house

Light Up Snowman Wreath

These are so easy and look so nice lit up. I like to hang mine on my front porch.

To make these you'll need:
3 wreaths, ascending in size
floral wire
set of indoor/outdoor lights

Use floral wire to attach wreaths together to form snowman. Wrap lights around wreaths, going in and out of each wreath.

You can add a scarf and hat to wreaths if you desire.

Anybody Want a Turkey Leg??

We just got home from the store and discovered Daisy had gotten in the kitchen garbage. She found herself a nice turkey drumstick. She only gets in the garbage about once every three months so, we did think anything about taking the trash out before we left. There was a huge mess!
She looks so mean in the other picture. She didn't growl at us so I guess I just got a bad picture of her. Daisy is one of the biggest babies!!! She will come over to you and throw her body weight on your feet and roll over to her back. She'll wiggle until you decide to scratch her belly.

Daisy has probably gained 20 pounds since the girls were born. They love to feed her. Arya will stand there and sneak Daisy her chicken nuggets. They each must give Daisy 2 dog treats everyday. I wonder what kind of agreement Daisy worked out with them??

And the Winner Is.....

Congratulations to Nikowa!!!

Please email me by clicking on the "Contact Me" link on the right hand side of the page. I have the DVD ready to go and with your address, I hope to have it in the mail tomorrow!!!

Thanks to everyone that played along!! I will have another give away soon!!

Christmas Links #4

Here are some last minute Christmas ideas as featured in Woman's World Magazine:

Talk to Santa "Trained" Residents of the Kindred Nursing & Rehabilitation Centers answer calls posing as Mrs. and Santa Claus. (Local listings by state)

Free Printable Gift Tags

Epson Creative Zone Labels for gifts in a jar, scrapbook pages, crafts, stationary, and Hanukkah cards.

Christmas Printables Treat boxes, gift tags, place cards, crafts, bookmarks, stationary, and cards.

Printable Boxes All kinds of printable treat boxes; including Chinese take out boxes

Shala Printables Gift card boxes, ornament boxes, and gift tags.

Nativity & Wagon Ride

Sunday night we took the girls to a local funeral home, of all places, to see the nativity. Jaiden loves to take sweet potatoes to feed the sheep and the donkeys (or mules??). We found out that on certain nights they offer free wagon rides!! The girls had such a fun time!! Arya wasn't sure about the animals. She just stared at them and screamed if they came near her.

One of the donkeys bit Ryan's hand. He thought Ryan had a sweet potato and was going for it! Otherwise, they all were very friendly animals!

We pass the nativity on the way to my grandmother's house so we have to stop there at least twice a week until they take it down.

Snowmen Candy Bars

These are what Jaiden's teachers are getting for Christmas this year. Really low cost and easy to make. The snowman is from Laurie Furnell. I believe the only restrictions on this graphic is it is only to be used for non-profit uses only. Just download the graphic and re size it to fit your needs. (I did this in a regular Word program)

You'll need:

1 large Hershey candy bar
1 fleece scarf ($1.00 at Deals Dollar Store)
aluminum foil (enough to wrap bar)
double sided permanent tape
snowman graphic by Laurie Furnell

1. Print out graphic. I took my to Office Depot and had them copy it onto a thin glossy paper. ($0.65 each copy)

2. Measure the amount of fleece you'll need for the hat by wrapping it around the top of the bar. Be sure to leave enough for a seam allowance.








3. Turn up bottom side to form a brim for the hat.








4. Sew hat right sides together and turn right side out. Position the seam so that it will be in the center back of the bar.








5. Take the foil and wrap it around the candy bar like you are wrapping a gift. Be sure to leave the regular wrapper on including the Hershey slider.








6. Cut the wrapper to size an center it on candy bar. Use a piece of tape to secure it to the bar and a piece to secure the end.









7. Place hat on top of bar. Fringe cut top of hat.







8. Cut a slim piece of fleece and use it to tie the fringe to form the top of he hat. Use a piece of tape to secure hat to bar.








9. Cut another piece of fleece to use as a scarf. Secure with tape.









I got these cute bags at Walmart of $0.50 that already had the gift tags with them. My total cost, including the gift bag, was $2.35!!!

Super Easy Indoor Wreath

Super easy and inexpensive; does it get any better???? I got the wreath and bows both at the dollar for for $1.00 each. I used hot glue to secure the bows to the wreath. I did pull off the paper backing off the sticky part of the bows to make the bows be more secure.

Here's the back:


Not bad for $2.00!!

Track Santa & Play Games

Here are some neat sites or kids:

Track Santa Come to this site on Christmas Eve and track Santa as he flies around the world delivering toys.

Countdown to Christmas Interactive games to play. Just click on any buildings in the town square for a different game.


Light Up Tree Game Fun but frustrating game. More geared to adults. My time was 966. I am going to try again!