Blankie Keeper

Baking Up Some Love!

2012-01-17T11:40:00.000-08:00

Want to add a little something extra to your child’s Valentine’s Day this year? How about a handmade apron? Kids love aprons if not for cooking, then for crafts.

You have two options here:

1. You can make a really cute apron, from a dishtowel, and I tell you how below, or

2. You can cut to the chase and just buy one that I made for just $7.50. (No one will think badly of you if you just buy it—it’s still handmade!)

Yes, I made it from a dishtowel. This is a handy trick my super creative friend Leslie Saito taught me. You can find some very cute and very inexpensive dishtowels at Target, Ikea, and elsewhere. Many of them have cute borders or appliqués to add to the design.

Take the dishtowel and from a short end (the side without the border if it’s designed like that), measure about 3’ to 3.5” inches. Fold diagonally. Repeat on the other side.

Measure 3"-3.5" on short edge of dishtowel & fold diagonally.

Repeat on the other side.

Press it into place. This will form your casing.

Stitch about 1” from your folded edge.

This will make your casing.

You’ll need about two yards of coordinating trim—anything will work, ribbon, ricrac, cord, etc. Starting with the lower edge of one casing, run the trim through using a safety pin to guide it.

Once you come through the top, the trim will create the neck hole of the apron. Continue to lace the trim down through the other casing. Adjust so ends are even.

Just slip the top loop over your child’s head, then tie the trim on the back. If this is for a really young (small) child, you might be able to wrap the tie back around to the front and tie it there.

You can buy one of four prints I made this weekend by clicking here. You can also access my Carts and Rafts shop on the right hand column of this blog.

Three Kinds of Babysitters

2011-08-20T11:24:00.001-07:00

Over the years I’ve learned a lot about babysitters. My kids are 11 and 9 now and never had fulltime childcare, I’ve always worked from home. Our babysitters have been here for shifts as short as an hour to cover a void until another parent got home to as long as a weekend.

Each sitter we have hired over the years brings in their own style and background. Interesting quirky characteristics aside, I can put them each in one of three categories:

1. Sitters,

2. Teachers, or

3. Housekeepers.

Sitters

No, silly, they don’t sit ON the children! They do indeed sit, they watch TV, they text their friends, they do their own homework, maybe they eat, but they don’t do anything besides fill space. They are there for emergencies only. My dad falls into this category, which is fine by me. Sometimes that’s all you need. When my older one was about four years old, Grandpa came over to watch her and her sister while I went to an appointment. When I got home she tattled on him, “Grandpa just read his paper while he was here.” Oh well! They were safe and all was well. Most of these are younger, newer babysitters. These are not the sitters to call for a weekend.

Teachers

You know this type—they have a bag of tricks and a whole curriculum for the day. They are not necessarily professional teachers, this is just how they are. Teachers are constantly trying to stimulate your kids. Out come the board games, the flashcards, craft materials—they keep the kids busy. They take the kids outside and go on nature hunts, taking pictures of things they find along the way. Occasionally they’ll watch a movie, but somehow it fits with their overall lesson plan. Even though the teachers have a lot of spunk and want to keep the kids occupied, some of them are not tidy. After a day of playing with everything in the house, you can only hope they put it all away. No one wants to come home to a disaster because the babysitter was too busy playing and neglected to teach the valuable lesson of cleaning.

Housekeepers

Aaaah! It’s wonderful to come home to a clean house. We had a sitter in this category who would put the kids to bed, then clean the kitchen (beyond rinsing the dinner dishes), organize bookshelves, de-clutter the coffee table and fold a load of laundry. In hindsight, she was probably plagued with obsessive-compulsive disorder, but it worked in our favor. For the most part, the housekeepers get the kids started on a project and then only mildly interact with the kids while they find organizing projects to do around your house. This is my favorite kind of babysitter. Probably because she fulfills things I rarely make time to do. She has many of the qualities of a teacher without micromanaging the children and she also leaves the house better than she found it.

I have found that the key to being happy with any babysitter is to be clear about your expectations when they come over. If you expect them to clean the kitchen or fold laundry, you have to say so. No one can ever meet unspoken expectations. What are you waiting for? Call a sitter and go have lunch with your friends!

New Markdowns!

2011-06-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Shop now for the best selection of Blankie Keepers with reduced prices.

Select small, medium and large Blankie Keepers for just $15, $20 and $25! Quantities are limited!

Shop Here!

Easter Candy Still Lurking?

2011-04-28T16:24:00.000-07:00

Are there Peeps peeping at you from baskets? Are there plastic eggs with jelly beans in them hiding around the family room? Are there marshmallow eggs tempting you to eat just one more? Have you even cut into the chocolate walnut filled Easter egg?

Rather than hiding it from your children (or yourself) and giving them a piece a day until next Halloween, recycle it. I do recommend throwing out anything that doesn't meet your food standards, though. It will not become nutritious in another form. These ideas for new treats are simply that--treats!

Crafty with Candy
If you don't think you have anything salvageable, then buy the candy from your kids at a fair price per pound, or trade them a toy for it. Bright colored candies are also great items for crafts. Let you kids glue them on a cigar box or butter tub in pretty designs. Shellack them and give them to grandma for Mother's Day! She'll love them!

More and S'More Peeps
A friend in Arlington roasted her Peeps on skewers for an evening of s-mores. That's a great way to get rid of those little pesky pets. Lightly roast a marshmallow filled egg for the same results.

Tasty Add-Ins
Chop up Easter eggs and candies and mix them into cookie dough or spruce up some brownie batter before baking. If you don't think the candies will survive in an oven, mix them into some slightly softened vanilla ice cream then refreeze or use them as decorations on sugar cookies or a cake.

Your children will be so impressed with your ingenuity they won't mind that their baskets are empty.

Go ahead, Hop to it!

Wrap Stars—Get Creative!

2010-12-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

It’s December 21^st. Are you bored of curling ribbon and stick-on bows? Get creative and make your presents even more exciting to open.

Ribbon and Such

Satin or organza ribbons make a present look really special and you do not have to spend a fortune on the materials. Buy by the spool in solid colors that you can use all year. Checkout the bargain bins in fabric stores, but check the yardage. Even the 99¢ store sells ribbon, but sometimes you might be getting three feet (one yard), which is not at all a good price. I love using rickrack as well. Some fabric outlets sell this by the 25-yard spool for just a few dollars. Why is it so cheap? Usually the cheap stuff is nylon, not cotton. So don’t iron it, it will melt. Laminated packages might not be what you are after. Raffia is still a natural favorite and very affordable. No fancy bows required when you use nice materials.

When Original Beats Pretty

Your favorite tool man will get a kick out of gift wrapped with duct tape or electrical tape. Florist tape is great for a gardener. Your daughter will get a charge out of an extension cord wrapped around her new sewing machine.

Add-ons Are Special

Kids are drawn to the gift that has a gift they can see on the outside. Guess what? So are adults! The spatula taped to the new wrapped cookbook, sunflower seeds taped to a box containing a baseball glove, or a Christmas ornament (you can get them on sale right now) on any gift. It’s an extra gift that hints at what might be in the box.

Gift Tags

I think I got this from a Martha Stewart magazine many years ago, you might do it too. Recycle all of the Christmas cards you get by cutting off the back flap where the writing is. Use the decorative fronts as gift tags. Simply punch a hole and tie them onto your packages. Use a pretty corner cutter from your scrapbook supplies to spruce them up.

You’ll have Christmas wrapped up in no time with packages that never looked so good!

Firsts!

2010-12-01T14:52:00.000-08:00

As fast as Santa can fly down a chimney, it seems my children have grown. I can remember when they first stood up and when they tried to jump with the other toddlers but their feet never left the ground. Their first sweet words. Their first smiles. All of it seemed like it was just yesterday, and yet a decade ago.

Wanting to capture every moment and preserve every memory is a natural response knowing that your child’s baby days are numbered, no matter how long you want to baby him or her. As they grow older, they know it too. They want to keep every worksheet done in the classroom, every art project. They want to save every one of their favorite outfits—all 50 of them!

We have teddy bears wearing favorite leotards and bins of “doll” clothes with department store labels on them. “But you can’t save everything,” I tell them. “Only the special things.”

We are so glad we have those special things we have. Making them more special are fitting containers that preserve them forever. The first curl and first tooth in special pewter boxes. First photos in a scrapbook. First footprints in a frame. And, of course, the first blankie in a Blankie Keeper™.

Capture all their firsts in special ways before they dim from memory.

Enjoy 30% off your entire purchase at www.BlankieKeeper.com until Dec. 4, 2010. Code: HOLIDAY

Mummy Dearest

2010-10-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

Mummy will never leave you, so don't leave her behind this Halloween. Who could forget a great mummy candle like this?

You too can make this great Halloween decoration that is perfect for a hostess gift for the Halloween party you attend this weekend.

Start with a sanctuary candle that you can find at any grocery store or Target for just a few dollars.

1) Wrap with black material--any fabric will do.

2) Glue on some jewel eyes to poke through the wrap. Pictured is a large oval green jewel, topped with a gold colored jewel and a small black jewel. Choose googly eyes if you prefer.

3) You'll need about one square foot of white gauze. Gauze bandages would work great too. If you don't have any gauze on hand, then pick up a package of cheese cloth at the grocery store. I made five of these, some I just wrapped and glued without cutting the cheesecloth, like this one. I cut strips from the cheese cloth for a few of them. Those look a little more mummy-like. You don't want it to look like a burka, so you might prefer to take a few extra minutes to cut strips or opt for the real gauze bandages to glue on.

Slightly overlap the strips for an authentic look. Your hostess will love it!

Five Things I Learned this Summer … or Knew and am Now Admitting

2010-09-21T22:38:00.000-07:00

Even though the kids were out of school, I learned a few things this summer. I thought I'd share those things--and a bonus recipe.

5. I really have a thing for coffee cakes.

4. Inflatable pool toys are really only intended to make it one summer.

3. Extra weight looks a lot better with a tan.

2. There’s no graceful way to get on an inflatable raft.

1. If I didn’t love coffee cake so much I might not have to hide my flab with a tan (or is that tan my hide?) and I could get on a raft gracefully.

Monkey Bread Recipe

(never enough to go around)

1 loaf frozen Bridgford bread

1 stick of butter

1 package vanilla pudding mix (cook and serve)

½ c. brown sugar firmly packed

cinnamon to taste

1 c. pecans (optional)

The night before, butter a Bundt pan heavily.

Cut up one loaf of frozen Bridgford bread dough—do not defrost.

(Let it sit for about 5 minutes or you can’t cut it. I slice it than quarter each slice.)

Put bread dough pieces in Bundt pan.

Melt butter and pour over the bread dough.

In a small bowl mix vanilla pudding mix with a half cup of brown.

Sprinkle over bread and butter in pan.

Add pecans.

Let sit out, uncovered over night.

Cook for 30 minutes in a pre-heated 325° oven.

Let sit 1-2 minutes then invert on plate.

Serve warm--Yummy!

Coffee Cake Got Even Better

2010-08-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

How do you make a coffee cake disappear? Spruce it up with a new ingredient.

I was making a sour cream coffee cake and found out I was missing a key ingredient—the sour cream. But I did have some yogurt. I had lemon yogurt and decided that it might just work out okay.

It was beyond okay—it was wonderful! Light, moist with just a hint of lemon. Just take your favorite sour cream coffee cake recipe, I used one I found from Sandra Lee on www.FoodNetwork.com and substitute equal parts yogurt for sour cream. Lemon was delicious, but maybe you have another idea. I've made this twice and the time that I used Trader Joe's lemon yogurt was a little better. The reason: it has lemon zest in it. The lemon oil from the zest permeated the cake a little more successfully. You can always just add some lemon zest, even if you use good ol' sour cream.

You better take a piece before you feed your family or you won’t get a bite! It was half gone before I could get my camera.

Poppin’ Good Fun!

2010-08-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

A great snack at any time, popcorn is a versatile favorite for young and old. Surprisingly, there are many nutritional benefits of eating popcorn. Another surprising fact is that popcorn is grown in the United States—mostly in the midwest—and Africa. Who knew?

Nutritional Pop

Popcorn contains vitamins and minerals that are great for your body. It has thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin, iron, phosphorous and calcium. Per 100 grams of popcorn, popcorn has 2.7 milligrams of iron--that is more than eggs, roast beef, peanuts, codfish, milk, and is just short of spinach, which has 3.0 milligrams. It is also a source of protein. Wow, that is one great supplement! Don’t add butter or worse, fake butter, and defeat the nutritional benefits with globs of fat.

Whole Grain Goodness

Better still, popcorn is a whole grain. As those kernels feel like they are doing extreme damage to your teeth, they are actually massaging your gums and scraping off that bacteria that causes cavities. Once swallowed, say, “Hello, roughage!” That’s right, popcorn is great at moving along the digestive process and can help some of the uncomfortable side effects of overeating.

Make it Real

Even though convenience is key to most crazy schedules, take an extra minute and make it in a pan on the stove instead of from a space-age microwaveable envelope that is cooked in who knows what. In fact, microwave popcorn contains an ingredient used as a flavor additive called diacetyl. It has been linked to a serious respiratory illness common among those working in microwave popcorn factories known as “Popcorn Lung.” It’s caused by breathing in the fumes and is why the incidence is high among those who package microwave popcorn, but there is one confirmed diagnosis from a consumer who ate two bags of microwave popcorn each day for years. That's a lot of popcorn for a grown man, but what does a little bit of that chemical do to a little person?

Using some vegetable oil and a few handfuls of kernels, shaken over high heat brings out the best tasting popcorn ever! A bag of Jolly Time popcorn is about $2 for two pounds of kernels compared to $3 for a box of three microwave envelopes. Store brands are less on both sides, but premium brands are much more.

It's not just for the movies anymore, it's for your health. Don’t just sit there, get poppin’!

Baby Blankets: Scrumptious, Cozy, and from Blankie Keeper!

2010-07-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

I said I wasn’t going to do it, but I did. Introducing new baby blankets and baby blanket & Blankie Keeper™ sets.

When I decided to offer the whole package—a baby blanket and a Blankie Keeper™--I set out to find a great baby blanket that would complement the Blankie Keeper™ inventory and would be a special baby blanket that didn’t cost a fortune. I wanted something better than a cotton receiving blanket. I couldn’t find one that was just right and decided the best way to get what I wanted was to design and make them myself.

These baby blankets have this undeniable cushiness to them that you just want to snuggle up with one yourself—forget your child. Flannel on one side and cotton broadcloth or combed cotton prints on the other create a luscious feeling you can’t keep your hands off of! It’s just a fantastic combination!

At this point we have two solids (pink and blue) and two prints (a super pretty floral and a more boyish jungle print). All have a pre-washed flannel backing. The cotton acts as the cool side for warm summer nights when just a light cover will do. The flannel is the snuggly warm side when a cozy wrap is what’s needed.

Then there is a sweet little mountain-range stitch that borders the blankets. The blankets come in a coordinating organza bag ready for you to give as a gift. It is sure to be a cherished blanket by anyone who receives one.

The baby blankets are just $20 and the sets are $45. They are a perfect gift for your next baby shower.

Every Blankie Needs a Keeper!

Flip Flop Flap

2010-07-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

We’ve hit the halfway point of summer and it’s time to either replace your inexpensive flip flops or clean them really well. Last year The New York Daily News sent two reporters out around NYC wearing $3.50 flip-flops for four days.

They went all the places in New York that are similar to where you might be touring this summer wherever you live or visit—amusement parks, public transportation (think Disneyland tram if you never take a bus), restaurants, sporting events, public restrooms, etc. Then they sent the flip flops to a lab to determine what good ol’ bacteria they picked up.

The article said that the $3.50 flip-flops harbored approximately 18,100 bacteria of the five most prevalent varieties found and unsurprisingly, the pair that made the trip to Coney Island and stopped off in the public restroom had roughly 13,900 more bacteria. Included in the mix is Staphylococcus aureus. If left untreated, staph can kill you if it enters your bloodstream.

There are flip flops made with anti-microbial materials that prevent bacteria from growing in/on them. They are a little more pricey, but they will last longer and are better-constructed. Teva is one brand that can outfit the whole family and REI stores carry them.

"If you wear shoes for three months, 93 percent have fecal bacteria and 20 percent have E. coli," said Dr. Charles P. Gerba, professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona.

You might be thinking that shoes are shoes, but I suspect those cheap rubber soles soak up the muck a little easier. Your bare feet are definitely more vulnerable to the chance of infection lurking millimeters away than inside a sneaker.

So throw them in the washing machine with some bleach and hot water, spray them with Lysol or clean them with Clorox wipes—just do something! Maybe leaving shoes at the door instead of walking through the house in them isn’t such a bad idea after all. By the way, be careful where you set your purse or diaper bag. Ewww!

Cheesy Meals

2010-07-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

We all have our go-to meal for potlucks and meals for families with new babies--it's the fail safe recipe that you know you can always use. Mine is enchiladas. They get rave reviews and my children ask for them all the time.

People usually recognize there is something different about the ones I make but they don't know what. It's simple, and I realize it makes them far from authentic Mexican enchiladas but they taste great. I use flour tortillas. That's it! You lose the flavor of corn, but add a certain rich texture that makes them so yummy!

Corn tortillas often break when you roll them. If I really want that corn flavor with cheese and zesty tomato sauce, I bypass the rolling. I just stack them with layers of cheese, meat (when I want), and sauce. They're just as good that way without the struggle of trying not to crack the corn--Jimmy crack corn, but I don't care. (I couldn't resist.)

For extra flavor, add black olives, diced onions and diced green chilies.

Enjoy these on your next Mexican buffet table. ¡Olé!

4th of July Bandana Halter

2010-07-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Just in time for a heat wave! You can make this sweet summer halter top for less than $2. I picked up these bandanas at Walmart for just $1 apiece. If Walmart is a dirty word in your home, I am sure you can find them affordable at other places too.

I chose red for Independence Day festivities this weekend. They take all of five minutes and you can make them in any color you want.

Fold the bandana into a triangle and stitch closed. I did this to add some body to it, but you could conceivably make two tops from one bandana by cutting it along the diagonal and hemming the bottom.

Fold the top point over about 2-3 inches and stitch one inch from the top to make a casing.

Weave a ribbon or other tie through the casing. I used about 40" so there would be plenty of ribbon to tie a bow and have some hanging down after it was tied. If your kids don't mind the dangle, you could tie some cute beads to the end of the tie.

Have fun mixing prints and trims, the possibilities are endless!

Happy 4th of July from Blankie Keeper!

Meet My Blankie Contest Winner

2010-07-01T07:35:00.000-07:00

We had entries from all over the United States and Canada! It was so much fun to hear the wonderful sweet names that children give to their blankies. If you participated, look for a special discount code coming to you via e-mail. Thanks so much for entering!

The contest winner was entered by her grandmother and I got to ask her why she chose the name "Renaldo Sharfenburg Oly Pop the Third" for her Blankie. Haylee is now 13 and she said when she was little her sister always had special names like that for her blankies and she wanted to have something special too.

She's had this blanket since she was a baby and will now be able to keep it in our most popular print--Purple Passion! Congratulations Haylee! Give your grandma a big hug for entering you!

"Every Blankie Needs a Keeper!"

Introducing Blankie Keeper™ Baby Gift Sets

2010-06-26T11:40:00.001-07:00

New on www.BlankieKeeper.com–Baby Gift Sets in pink and blue. These luxurious new blankies are handmade with the same quality and care as Blankie Keepers™. Flannel on one side of chilly mornings, and cool broadcloth on the other for hot August nights, these are scrumptious!

Paired with a small Blankie Keeper™, these one yard square receiving blankets fold down to the perfect size and fit perfectly to make a pillow to keepsake their blankie forever.

Until July 15, enjoy these gift sets at an introductory price of $40. After July 15, the prices bumps up to $45. Boxed in a glossy white box with clear lid, these are ready for the next baby shower on your calendar. Handmade in the USA and free shipping--what could be better than that?

Stuffed animals are not included. Visit the "Extra Fun" tab on the website to order yours today.

"Every Blankie Needs a Keeper!"

Water Safety is Top for Summer

2010-06-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

If you have a swimming pool, live where swimming pools are prevalent, or live near any body of water (flood channel, river, lake, ocean) then as a parent, your number one charge is to make your children water safe.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there were 3,308 unintentional drownings in the United States, an average of nine people per day in 2006. That number is rising.

Do not presume that since you are near the pool that your child is safe from drowning. The National Safety Council says that of all preschoolers who drown, 70 percent are in the care of one or both parents at the time of the drowning and 75 percent are missing from sight for five minutes or less.

There is not a lack of resources where your child can learn to swim, and do so affordably. If you have a baby and a swimming pool, don’t waste any time. Nets and gates are not foolproof and a lifeguard cannot see every child at all times. Don’t risk the unimaginable, do something today.

Search the internet for a watersafe program in your area for very young children or the local YMCA for toddlers on up. While you are at it, take a CPR class at the American red Cross so you feel prepared in the case of an accident.

Children overestimate their ability to swim. So many times little ones do not associate their water wings or life vests with their ability to float. They jump in without the flotation devices with all the confidence in the world.

If this sounds terse and like a lecture, I mean it to. There is no reason that any parent should overlook teaching this life skill to their children.

Babies can learn in a few months to roll over and float in any body of water. Help your child have good water sense, you can’t afford not to.

To Dads

2010-06-16T14:26:00.000-07:00

To dads who make moms laugh and kids giggle,

For changing diapers even with an overactive gag reflex.

For supporting mom when she needs to get OUT OF THE HOUSE!

For doing the cha-cha slide at the Valentine’s Day Ball … again.

Thank you for walking the dog and killing the spider in the bathroom.

Thanks for barbecuing and not being afraid to sing off-key.

Thanks for coming up with secret handshakes and nicknames, and

For curing the blues with ice cream and pie.

Piggyback rides and flips in the pool.

Big bear hugs and funny noises.

Thanks for working so hard in everything you do,

And cherishing your family above everything else.

Thanks for choosing to be a Dad!

5 Fun Family Vacation Activities Your Kids Will Love

2010-06-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Summer time--when kids are happy and moms have to work double time to stage the fun. Keep the fun rolling on vacations to create memories that will last a lifetime. Here are just five ways to make your summer family vacations even more memorable no matter where you go.

It’s All Relative: I have a set of cousins—a set is 10, right? Yes, one family of 10 kids who live all over the country. Every other year they get together for a family reunion. There are cousins, second cousins, cousins once and twice removed—dozens of cousins of cousins. The location changes each time and is usually someplace where there are a lot of outdoor activities to be had. Lake Tahoe, Pidgeon Forge, the Poconos and so on. This is a great tradition that any family can practice, even if you live relatively close together (no pun intended).

Travelogue: Kids love to decorate t-shirts. Regardless of your destination(s) and what you do, your kids can create a travelogue of their summer on a t-shirt. They can even do it in the car going from Disneyland to Sea World. All you need is a collection of Sharpie pens in a wide variety of colors. They sell them at Costco. You might as well put the indelibility of those pens to good use. Let them draw a small picture of whatever activity they just did or wherever they just visited on the shirt at each stop. The shirt can be progressive of the whole summer.

Scavenger Hunt: These days, there are bound to be a few brochures available for every location—even if only online. Order those brochures, or download the pictures. Cut out some key images and glue them to index cards. When your kids identify the images, give them a reward for each one. The reward can be a dollar toward spending money or a hotel soap! You know what will appeal to your children to make this a worthwhile activity by car, plane, train or boat.

The Staycation: This might not sound so much fun at first, but read-on to learn how to make this low (or no) budget vacation really take shape. To you, this might mean staying in a local hotel. Take it a step further—STAY HOME! But, you have to get in the mindset that you are in a hotel, even though you aren’t. That means no phones, limited TV and computer, and eat out with a budget in mind. There’s something about being away from home that makes you keep track of your money more so than when you are home. Do things you don’t always do at home to discover your neighborhood and city as a tourist would. The fresh perspective will renew your energy.

Camping: If you really love hotels, make this a short trip. Your kids will love going camping and sleeping outside or in a tent. There is such adventure in not showering—it’s inexplicable! To have an even more enjoyable time, camp on the off days. Don’t plan a weekend trip, plan it around what I refer to as the “Las Vegas hotel discount days”: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. There won’t be as many people, as much traffic to get there, and you might get a better campsite.

Make sure mom and dad have fun too. How to do that is on a different blog entirely. ;-)

I need to confess that I wrote this blog post while participating in the Williamsburg Tourism and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Barely Pink Are Almost Ready

2010-06-09T07:57:00.001-07:00

Labels are being sewn on the new Barely Pink Blankie Keepers. These feature Champagne trim and a gingham check lining. Not to mention a sweet stitch to dress up the edges.

Tango With a Mango!

2010-06-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a favorite after school treat in my home.

Mango Smoothie

In a blender mix the following ingredients:
1 cup crushed ice
1 cup frozen mango chunks from Trader Joe's
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 cup milk
Hit the "smoothie" setting on the blender until the color is uniform--so scientific!

Doubles perfectly to fill two good size glasses with enough for mom to have a taste.

Here are a few quick desserts that help you sneak in a few extra fruits in their diets.

Mango Sorbet

Mix in a blender or food processor
2-3 cups frozen mango chunks from Trader Joe's
1/2 cup Trader Joe's mango lemonade, more or less as you prefer
Puree until smooth.

Serve immediately. Makes four small servings.

Canned Fruit Sorbet

Place a large can of fruit--peaches, pears and pineapple are all great--in the freezer for about an hour and a half.
Don't let them freeze solid, you should hear some movement in the can when you shake it without it sounding like complete liquid.

Place entire contents of can in the food processor and whirl until smooth.

Serve immediately.

It it wasn't quite frozen enough when you opened the can, add some extra fruit juice and pour in a glass, serve with straws, Kids will love it regardless.

Meet The Blankies--Contest Entrants

2010-05-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

Meet The Blankies on the "Meet My Blankie Contest" Page!

Meet My Blankie! Contest

2010-05-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

Mr. Bee. Teetee. Lovey. Whatever your child might call his or her special blankie, it is meaningful and special. We want to meet all the blankies!

They say once you name something you have an even greater attachment to it. We at Blankie Keeper™ know that is the case. A name is what transforms any old blanket into a treasured blankie. We never want to hear about the destruction of a dear old blankie because it was too old, in too many pieces, or it wasn't "needed" anymore.

That's why we are holding a contest for a free set of Blankie Keepers™. All you have to do to enter the drawing is tell us what your child calls his or her blankie. That's it! No purchase necessary.

E-mail your name, your child's name and age, the blankie's name, your mailing address and phone number to info@BlankieKeeper.com. The drawing will be held July 1, 2010. Entries due by June 30. One entry per person. The winner will be contacted to choose the fabric they want (available designs only--new fabrics coming!).

Attention, adults out there who still have their blankies! You can enter too-don't be shy.

Check back here to enjoy the names as they come in and spread the word.

"Every Blankie Needs a Keeper!"

The Art of Summer!

2010-05-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already started to line-up camps and activities for your kids this summer, get going! Beyond the big trip to summer camp, I am trying to line things up within walking distance. I am fortunate to have places that offers art and theatre classes right around the corner.

Another great thing to do is to stock-up on activities and craft supplies to use at home. Here are a few tricks I have learned from various places to make craft activities efficient and fun.

• Washable Markers Are Great Water Colors - Color just a little bit with a washable marker, then apply a wet paint brush to make it spread. This works great on Crayola's Model Magic. It's more like a foam than a clay and after air drying, it takes the color really well.

• Sharpies on Fabric – Decorate t-shirts with indelible Sharpies. You know from your children's (and your) mistakes that these colors stay great on clothing. You can buy a large package with a rainbow of colors at Costco for around $20 (in store, I can't find them online). The pens are much easier for little hands to maneuver and there's NO DRYING TIME! You know what this means? It's a perfect craft for a play date--everyone can go home with what they made.

• No-Fire Glaze - Pick-up a few unpainted plaster of Paris figurines at your favorite craft supply store and let the kids paint them with acrylic paints. Acrylic works best but will stay on anything it touches so make sure you have workstation where Sharpies and acrylic paints are okay. When dry, spray with a clear coat glaze to make them look fired. If you have art prodigies on your hands or older children who can be challenged, then expose them to the masters and encourage them to paint a pony in pointillism or a doggie like Pollock.

• Discount Craft Kits – Kits go on clearance at Target all the time. Examine the end caps of aisles where they stock all their kits – amid some broken chotchkies and some office supplies you will find some kits on clearance for less than $10. Buy a few when you can. They make great birthday gifts and are perfect for a day in summer without a camp schedule. There are always extra supplies so save them in a craft box for another time. Michael's also has a lot of party favor size crafts that are perfect an activity to fill an hour or less. They often have $1 Perler kits that kids love.

Share your favorite kids' craft trick in the comments section below. Happy Crafting!

New Life For Crayons

2010-05-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

I guess you could say it is a recycling project. It's nothing new but a perfect activity for a lazy day. We reformed these crayons into something special.

There are many ways to do this and I think this technique worked great.

The girls took off the wrappers, of course, and placed the crayon bits in muffin tins--some solid colors, some mixed in groovy color combinations. We sprayed the tins with some cooking spray just to make sure the crayons would come out easily. It gave them a pretty shine too.

I put them in the oven just on 200 degrees until melted completely.

Super fun reuse project that didn't cost a dime. Enjoy!