Family Go-Round

DIY-Canning Ring Pumpkin

2014-01-05T22:03:00.004-05:00

Canning Ring Pumpkin

With most of the canning done, and extra canning rings lying around, I thought I would make a canning ring pumpkin for the table. It’s cute, festive, and takes about 2 minutes—my kind of craft.

You’ll need:

Canning rings {all the same size}
String {to tie the rings together}
3 or 4 cinnamon sticks
Some scrap fabric or paper cut into the shape of leaves {enough for 2 leaves}

Directions:

String the canning rings together in a straight line. Once all the rings are on, tie them together tightly, pulling them into a round pumpkin shape. Then, stick the cinnamon sticks down into the pumpkin and add the leaves.

source:http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/category/canning-101/

Home Made Italian Seasoning Recipe

2014-01-05T21:59:00.004-05:00

Easy Kitchen Tips – Italian Seasoning Recipe

Ingredients
3 tablespoons dried parsley
3 tablespoons dried basil
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Mix all the spices together in a small bowl, then give them a whirl in your food processor*, or spice grinder* then store in an airtight container.

source:http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/easy-kitchen-tips-italian-seasoning-recipe/

Orange Peel Sugar Scrub

2014-01-05T21:45:00.000-05:00

Orange Peel Sugar Scrub

Here is a recipe for a deliciously sweet sugar scrub!

With winter in full swing, my skin gets dry and flaky. I'm horrible about not using lotion, because I'm usually grabbing Gray out of the tub too, getting her dressed, and chasing her around. Lotion, is not exactly on my mind.

So I turn to scrubs to keep my skin soft, flake free, and in this case smelling delicious!

Materials:

Glass container for storage

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4Tbs Almond Oil

1Tbs Olive Oil

Zest of 1 Orange

Start by zesting your orange. Make sure you use a microplane or something similar because you want very tiny pieces. Watch Those Fingers!!

Zest likes to hide on the back of the grater, so make sure you scrape all of that goodness off.

Add your sugar and zest to your glass container. Mix it well, muddling it some to help release the oils of the orange

Add your oils a little at a time, stirring them in with the sugar mixture.

Finish the container off with a label if it's a gift, or a decorative bow and enjoy!

Kiss your winter skin ~GoodBye~

*Just a tip- I try not to use a scrub more than twice a week. Your skin needs time to recover after a good exfoliation*

source:http://gritsandgiggles.blogspot.com/2012/01/tutorial-orange-peel-sugar-scrub.html

Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks

2014-01-05T21:22:00.005-05:00

Healthy Homemade Fruit Snacks

Why are these healthy fruit snacks?

I’m glad you asked! Not only are these healthy fruit snacks made from whole fruit, but they also use grass-fed gelatin. This stuff is full of beneficial things like collagen (essential for strong nails, hair, and beautiful skin). It’s also a great source of high quality protein and amino acids.

Sweetened only with a little bit of honey, and colored by the fruit themselves, these snacks are simple, delicious, and very kid (and crazy mom) friendly. Blueberry is my favorite (which is saying something because it’s my least favorite berry of the bunch). Combined with the lemon juice… oh boy. They are good. Yes, these yummy treats are a truly healthy fruit snack.

Homemade Healthy Fruit Snacks

Inspired by this recipe from the Mommypotamus.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice or fresh orange juice (if you don’t like sour go with orange!)
2/3 cup frozen or fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries are all great.)
1 – 2 Tbs honey
5 Tbs gelatin (from grass fed cows… like this)

Looking for quality real food ingredients? Be sure to check out the Village Green Marketplace!

Directions:

1. Pour juice and berries into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until berries become tender and begin to soften.

2. Add honey and stir until completely incorporated. You will want the fruit to dissolve quite a bit until you have a compote.

3. Puree mixture using a immersion blender or small blender (my magic bullet works great for this!)

4. Let sit, off heat, for 5 – 10 minutes.

5. Whisk in gelatin, one tablespoon at a time. Whisk vigorously until completely incorporated, mixing the gelatin in very gradually to avoid lumps. (If you do get lumps, just run the mixture through your blender again or you can put it back on the heat to help dissolve the gelatin.)

6. Pour into a 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 glass dish. Refrigerate until set (30 minutes to an hour). Cut in small squares. (You could also use some cute molds like this and create awesome shapes. I’m not awesome like that… but you could be!)

Note: I like to keep these in my fridge (I love cold things!), but they do transport and keep nicely at room temperature.

source:http://www.thankyourbody.com/homemade-healthy-fruit-snacks/

Soap Snowmen

2014-01-05T20:47:00.003-05:00

January Family Crafts – DIY Soap Snowman

I came across this cute snow day project...fun and the kids will love it.

Today my tot and I were coming up with lots of fun family crafts we could do together with a Winter seasonal theme! Here is our first, The Soap Snowman! He is very simple to make and it is a really great sensory craft.

What You Need:

1 Bar Ivory Soap
Cheese Grater
1/4 Cup of Water

What you use to decorate the snowman is up to you. We chose to decorate the snowman’s eyes and buttons with coffee grounds because coffee is actually very good for your skin! So is chocolate, which is why his mouth is made from little tiny chocolate beads. The Q-Tips are my son’s idea because we always clean our ears after bathtime (clever!). The nose is the only piece that doesn’t go with the bathtime scheme as it is a corner of a Cheezit my son was eating. There aren’t many things in our bathroom that are orange!

How to Make the Snowman:

Grate the Ivory bar soap into a bowl.
Using a fork, slowly stir in the water while keeping the consistency. You want to try and keep the curls.
Shape the softened soap into balls, large / med / small, like a Snowman.
Using fun things around your home, decorate your snowman!

The craft is wonderful in January when it is too cold to go outside and if you don’t have any snow, it’s fun to make your own! It is also a very ‘clean’ craft. Once you are finished, your kids can wash their hands or take the snowman into the tub for more fun! The perfect idea if you have kids that don’t like taking baths.

Ssource:http://inrandom.com/january-family-crafts-diy-soap-snowman/

Homemade Fourth of July Soap Recipe

2013-06-29T22:47:00.000-04:00

DIY Fourth of July Craft Project – Homemade Red, White and Blue Soap

Celebrate the Fourth of July with this fun diy soap project that the whole family can get involved in! This heart shaped red, white and blue soap shows off your love for your America’s freedom and democracy through its shape and color! I used the same heart shaped silicone soap mold as I’ve used for other projects such as my Handmade Solid Lotion Bars, Triple Butter Solid Sugar Scrub Hearts,Handmilled Heart Shaped Soaps and Handmilled Lavender & Dead Sea Salt Soaps. However, if you don’t have a heart shaped mold, you can use any mold you happen to have though the amounts of soap needed for each layer may be different. In addition you’ll also need a digital kitchen scale, a cutting board, a knife, a utensil to stir with and a glass Pyrex measuring cup or equivalent.

Homemade Fourth of July Soap Recipe

Ingredients:

6.5 oz. opaque melt and pour glycerin soap base
Red and blue food color, liquid soap dye or powder pigments
.2 oz. fragrance oil of choice or .1 oz. essential oil (optional)

Instructions:

This recipe yields two heart shaped soaps. However, if you wish to make more you can increase the recipe easily by doubling or tripling it. Start by cutting 3 oz. (by weight) of your melt and pour soap base into chunks and placing them into your glass measuring cup. Then melt the soap chunks at reduced power in the microwave. Watch it closely as you do not want it to boil! Remove as soon as it has melted. Stir in several drops of food color or pigment and 1/3 of your fragrance (which is .2 oz. total by weight.) Don’t use too much colorant – a little goes a long way! – or you could end up with soap crayons instead of bath soap.

Now place your soap mold onto a cutting board or other transportable flat surface, then pour the red tinted soap into two of the heart shaped molds so that the soap is distributed evenly between the two hearts. Transport the mold via the cutting board to the freezer and allow to cool and harden completely.

While your layer of red soap is solidifying, wash and dry your measuring cup. Then weigh out 1.5 oz. of your soap base, cut into chunks, and place into the measuring cup. Melt in the microwave, add a bit of fragrance, and mix well. Remove your mold from the freezer and pour the white soap base evenly across your two heart molds on top of the solidified red base.

Place in the freezer to harden and repeat the steps for the final blue layer, using 2 oz. of soap base, your blue soap dye and your remaining fragrance. Once your blue layer has hardened on top of the red and white layers, your soap is ready to unmold. Then simply wrap your soaps in plastic cling film and label if desired. Otherwise this patriotic homemade soap is ready for your soap dish!

source:http://soapdelinews.com/2013/06/homemade-soap-recipe-fourth-of-july-diy.html

DYI-MEMORIAL DAY STARS AND STRIPES WREATH

2013-06-29T22:42:00.002-04:00

MEMORIAL DAY STARS AND STRIPES WREATH

Wave the flag and bring out the red, white, and blue with this patriotic wreath. Simply place mini flag toothpicks (about three packages of 100 flags) into a styrofoam wreath (we used a 10″ styrofoam disk and cutout a 7″ circle out, because some wreaths are extruded and are hard for the toothpicks to push through) until the wreath is completely full and there is no white showing. Then your wreath is ready to hang; greeting every guest that arrives!

DIY-Glow in the Dark Food

2013-06-18T21:33:00.000-04:00

#1 Glow in the Dark Food

The secret to glowing food is tonic water (diet tonic water works too). It contains quinine, and guess what happens when you expose quinine to black light?

fun, right?? So if you mix up a drink (like crystal light lemonade like I’ve done below) and add a little tonic water…

magical glowing beverages! (Have I ever mentioned that Kate hates the word “beverage?” Hey Kate, beverage beverage beverage!! She’s totally hiding under her computer desk right now.) Pretty much anything you can make that includes water can glow with tonic water. Like Jello for example:

My kids thought that glowing jello was pretty much the coolest thing ever.

Now tonic water does have a nasty bitter taste to it. My kids actually didn’t notice at all, which I thought was strange. Maybe I’m just super sensitive. I don’t like the flavor, so if you’re like me know that you only need a little to make it glow. Adding a bit to juice or punch isn’t very noticeable. And if you do jello, you can use part regular water (half and half, or even less tonic) to minimize the bitter taste. And if you were wondering, YES you can even use tonic water to make glowing gak!

Think of other creative uses and gather stuff on your kitchen table. Turn down the lights, flip on a black light, and watch your kids ooh and ahhh as they sip glow in the dark juice and chomp down radioactive jello.

source:http://www.brit.co/get-your-glow-on-8-diy-projects-for-your-big-day/

July Fourth Celebration Cupcakes

2013-06-18T21:26:00.001-04:00

How fun are these cupcakes? Filled with a cake ball gives everyone a little surprise! Topped with red, white and blue bursts makes this cupcake a must at your next Memorial Day or 4th of July Celebration!

I used boxed white cake mix and homemade butter frosting for display purposes only. Next time I make these cupcakes for a party I’ll do lemon cake balls and a strawberry cupcakes. TIP: I recommend using homemade frosting the store bought doesn’t hold up as well. Makes approximately 24 cupcakes. Depends on the size of cake balls.

I’m Stuck In You Cupcake How To:

Ingredients

2 white cake mixes (also ingredients listed on the box)

1 container of store bought white frosting

butter frosting (double recipe)

red food coloring

blue food coloring

24-cupcake liners

Directions

Make ONE cake mix as directed on the box. Separate batter. One into a round cake pan and the other into a bowl. Color with blue food coloring and pour into another round cake pan. Bake as directed. Cool completely. When cooled crumble the cakes. Keep them in separate bowls. TIP: I peeled the bottom and top layer off in order to get only the blue and white colors.

Add the store bought frosting to the white and the blue cake crumbs. Only add enough so that when the cake is picked up it can be formed. You won’t need the whole container but most of it.

Form the blue cake into small balls using about 1 teaspoon of cake. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Using about a tablespoon of white cake, flatten the cake in the palm of your hand and work the white cake around the blue cake.

Once all the balls are covered, freeze again for 30 minutes. In the mean time make the cupcake batter following the directions on the box.

Add one small scoop of batter into the cupcake liners.

Place the cake ball in the center.

Fill the cupcake tin with enough cake batter to cover the cake ball.

Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes. Cool completely. While cooling make the butter frosting. Once the cupcakes are cooled begin frosting.

A peek inside!

Use the “grass” tip. TIP: I had 3 tips and 3 disposable piping bags. This makes the process so much easier. No having to stop and clean before moving on to another color.

Start with blue. Using the press and pulling motion make on pass around the outside on the top of the cupcake. Then go around again to make sure the holes have been filled and their is enough height.

White layer.

Red layer. This is a LBC original!

source:http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com/im-stuck-in-you-cupcakes/

Blackberry-Bourbon Iced Tea Recipe

2013-06-17T20:17:00.001-04:00

Blackberry-Bourbon Iced Tea Recipe

Yield:

4-6 servings

Level:

Easy

Grilling Central

Backyard Barbecue

Cookout Sides

Ingredients

3 cups fresh blackberries

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, plus mint sprigs for garnish

6 good-quality black tea bags

Good-quality bourbon, to taste (Bobby likes Woodford Reserve)

Directions

Combine the blackberries, sugar and chopped mint in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon; let sit while making the tea.

While the blackberries are macerating, bring 1 1/2 quarts cold water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for about 3 minutes. Remove the tea bags and pour the tea over the blackberry mixture. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld.

Pour the mixture through a strainer into a pitcher, pressing on the solids. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. (You can also pour the mixture into a bowl set over an ice bath to cool it faster.)

Serve the blackberry tea over ice in tall glasses and float a shot of bourbon on top of each. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs (like a mint julep).

Photograph by Lisa Shin

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/blackberry-bourbon-iced-tea-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

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2013-06-17T20:04:00.003-04:00

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Join Our New FaceBook Group

2013-06-17T20:02:00.002-04:00

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Glow Cotton Candy

2013-06-17T17:32:00.001-04:00

Glow Cotton Candy

What a great idea for parties and kids events. So easy. Who knew???? Have fun

Use a glow stick et voilà!

DIY Infused Spirits

2013-06-17T17:08:00.000-04:00

Step Up Your Homemade Cocktails

with Your Own DIY Infused Spirits

Studies have shown that a well-stocked liquor cabinet increases the chance of feeling awesome (studies conducted by ourselves over the weekend). This includes having several custom, home-infused spirits: one bottle suddenly has multiple options and flavor profiles.

And? It's craaaaazy easy. The results produce a subtle, aromatic, next-level cocktail or highball. No perfume-y, candy martinis here: just straight, clean and fresh deliciousness.

TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS:

Spirit of your choice: we recommend starting with vodka, as it's tasteless and can be infused with any ingredient. Other great choices include gin, white rum, and brandy.
Infusing aromatics: these are the ingredients used for flavoring. Common ingredients include: citrus peel, juniper berries, pink peppercorns, cinnamon, etc.
Clean glass container: avoid using metal or plastic as this can alter the flavor or even cause a nasty chemical reaction that will leave your spirit tasting like pennies. You can use the bottle your liquor came in, a mason jar, etc...
Fine mesh strainer: use it to strain the final product. This will help you catch any bits that fell apart during the process.

STEPS:

CLEAN. Wash the glass container and give a final rinse with hot boiling water. This will eliminate any contaminants, oils, or sticky stuff.
CRUSH. Give your ingredientes a good pounding... You can crush them by hand, a mallet, a heavy skillet, mortar and pestle, or a rolling pin - just make sure they're coarse. You don't want tiny pieces floating around your booze. NOTE: When using delicate ingredients like herbs or vanilla, don't crush, just use as is.
MIX. Pour the spirit in a clean glass container and add flavoring ingredients. Close with a tight lid. Give it a gentle shake.
INFUSE. let the mix sit at room temperature (away from the sun) for about 1 week, then take a little sample and taste it. If needed, add a few extra days. In average, 2 weeks should yield the best results. NOTE: an exception must be made with extremely spicy/fragrant ingredients like peppercorns and chilies. For all of these, test after 4 days.
STRAIN. once ready, strain infused spirit through a fine mesh and store in a clean glass container with a lid. Refrigerate to keep it fresh.

That's it! You can serve the infused liquor straight on the rocks or you can use it as a base for tasty cocktails. Want a few recipes to get you infusing? Here are 3 that are perfect for the summer:

1: Habanero-infused Tequila

Ingredients:

Tequila añejo or reposado
1 habanero chile split in half

Follow steps above (infuse for 3 days max or you'll need to call the fire department). Can be sipped on it's own or mixed in a margarita.

2: Rosemary Bourbon

Ingredients:

Bourbon
Fresh rosemary sprigs

Mix ingredients and let it sit for about a week. This delicious infusion is great when used in a mint julep or a fresh whiskey sour. Best served chilled on the rocks (highly recommend using these whiskey stones).

3. Vanilla Coffee Vodka

Ingredients:

1 Vanilla pod split in half
1/4 cup of coffee beans
Vodka

Mix all ingredients, let it sit for 2 weeks. This combination tastes similar to Van Gogh espresso vodka, but it's way more affordable. Enjoy it on martinis and white russians.

Now that you know how to infuse spirits, go get that liquor cabinet ready for all of your summer affairs and let us know if you come up with a recipe of your own.

Cheers!

DIY-Homemade Eye Makeup Remover

2013-06-17T17:04:00.001-04:00

Homemade Eye Makeup Remover

Makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp witch hazel
2 Tbsp oil of choice
2 Tbsp water (please use filtered water. I use Reverse Osmosis.)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to your container / dispenser (I used an old jojoba oil container.)

2. Shake well before using.

3. Wipe on eyes with clean fingers, or moisten cotton ball or makeup pad and swipe over eyes.

TIPS:

To clean up stray makeup on face, put a small amount on fingers or dip cotton swab in mixture and clean up stray marks.

When washing face, make sure to get some cleaner on your eye area if you wish to remove any remaining oily residue.

UPDATE: A reader mentioned in the comments that when you add water to something you increase the chance of it spoiling. I answered saying I have seen natural cosmetics with water in them, and they have a shelf life of 6 months. I also think the witch hazel will deal with some of this, but just make sure – if it seems bad—common sense – don’t wipe it on your eyes .

source:http://wholenewmom.com/whole-new-budget/best-homemade-eye-makeup-remover/

STAINED GLASS JELLO (ALSO KNOWN AS BROKEN GLASS JELLO)

2013-06-17T16:57:00.002-04:00

STAINED GLASS JELLO (ALSO KNOWN AS BROKEN GLASS JELLO)

yield: One 9x13-inch pan

prep time: 20 minutes (active) 6 hours (inactive)

total time: 6 hours 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

4 boxes (3-ounces each) Jello (or store brand gelatin dessert) in different colors
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin (Knox)
Water

DIRECTIONS:

1. For each flavor, dissolve one box of Jello in 1 cup of boiling water. Pour into a square container that is about 6 to 8" square and chill at least 3 hours, or overnight. (Try to use the same size for all four so that the blocks will come out the same. In this case the smaller the better - I used 8" pans and felt my "blocks" were a little too flat.)

2. After chilling the flavors, cut them into small blocks.

3. Carefully mix the blocks in a 9x13-inch pan.

4. In a separate bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin into ½ cup cold water. After the gelatin blooms, add 1½ cups boiling water and dissolve. Add the can of condensed milk. Stir and let cool. Pour cooled milk mixture over Jello blocks in 9x13 pan. Skim off any small bubbles that are created when you pour the condensed milk on the Jello pieces. Chill overnight or at least 3 hours until firm.

5. Cut into blocks or shapes and serve.

(Recipe adapted from The Food Librarian)

July 4th Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2013-06-17T16:52:00.000-04:00

July 4th Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I came across this great idea for July Fourth and I had to share it with everyone.

Looking for 4th of July desserts recipes? These red, white, and blue strawberries are awesome enough to impress. And they are super-easy to make.

White Chocolate Covered Strawberries
with Blue Sugar & Nonpareils
Recipe & Photos: Mississippi Kitchen (Lorie Roach); licensed under aCC BY 3.0 license

INGREDIENTS
2 lbs fresh strawberries with fresh green caps attached
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 spoon shortening
blue sugar crystals
blue nonpareils

DIRECTIONS
Wash and dry the strawberries, leaving the green caps:

Melt one cup of white chocolate chips and one tablespoon of shortening in a metal bowl placed over some simmering water, and stir until smooth.

Pour blue sugar crystals and blue nonpareils in small bowls:

Dip the strawberries in the melted white chocolate:

Then in the sugar or nonpareils. Then place them on a wax paper lined baking sheet until they harden:

Recipe inspired by a photo of patriotic strawberries that Lorie Roach's friend Beth made and has posted on her Facebook.

source:http://www.cupcakesforparty.com/2012/06/july-4th-chocolate-covered-strawberries.html?utm_source=bp_recent&utm-medium=gadget&utm_campaign=bp_recent

DIY-Floating Shelves

2013-06-16T22:57:00.003-04:00

Use Bookends as Floating Bookshelves

-An Amazingly great idea

Source: pinterest.com

Marinated Flank Steak

2013-06-16T22:52:00.003-04:00

Marinated Flank Steak

Rated:

Submitted By: GUYCON

Photo By: Allrecipes

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 6 Hours 25 Minutes

Servings: 6

"A wonderful flank steak on the grill I invented that friends just love! My girls think this is great, and it doesn't take long to grill. This also works great when sliced and used for fajitas."

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a medium bowl, mix the oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, and ground black pepper. Place meat in a shallow glass dish. Pour marinade over the steak, turning meat to coat thoroughly. Cover, and refrigerate for 6 hours.
2.	Preheat grill for medium-high heat.
3.	Oil the grill grate. Place steaks on the grill, and discard the marinade. Grill meat for 5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.

Printed from Allrecipes.com 6/16/2013
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Print/Recipe.aspx?recipeID=18074&origin=detail&servings=6&metric=false

July Fourth Craft Ideas

2013-06-16T22:48:00.000-04:00

FUN AND EASY CRAFTS TO CELEBRATE AMERICA!

These creative and patriotic crafts for kids are fun for the whole family and are perfect as 4th of July decorations. With the right materials, you and your children can craft like pros this summer!

4th of July star wand

Materials:

Red, white and blue cardstock paper
Popsicle stick
Ribbon

Hot glue gun
Elmer’s Craft Bond Permanent Dot Runner
X-ACTO Decorative Shape templates
X-ACTO Gripster Knife

Directions:

Place the X-ACTO Decorative Shapes Template on the red piece of cardstock paper.
With the X-ACTO Gripster Knife, carefully cut out the large star from the template.
Place the X-ACTO Decorative Shapes Template on the white piece of cardstock paper.
With the X-ACTO Gripster Knife, carefully cut out the medium star from the template.
Place the X-ACTO Decorative Shapes Template on the blue piece of cardstock paper.
With the X-ACTO Gripster Knife, carefully cut out the small star on the template.
Apply the Elmer’s Craft Bond Permanent Dot Runner to the back of the white star, then place it in the middle of the red star.
Apply the Elmer’s Craft Bond Permanent Dot Runner to the back of the blue star, then place it in the middle of the white star.
Cut three, 18-inch pieces of ribbon, then fold each piece of ribbon in half.
Carefully glue the folded ribbon and the popsicle stick to the back of the red star with the hot glue gun, let dry.

Patriotic handprint flag

Materials:

Red, white and blue washable craft paint
Two white sturdy paper plates

White poster board
Pencil
X-ACTO Ruler

Directions:

Using a pencil and the X-ACTO Ruler, draw the outline of the American flag lightly on the poster board. (Draw a square in the top left corner for the stars and thick lines for the stripes).
Place blue paint on one paper plate.
Place red paint on the other paper plate.
Dip one hand in the blue paint and then press your hand inside the square area on the poster board multiple times to create the handprint stars.
Dip your other hand in the red paint and then press that hand on every other line multiple times to create the stripes.
Let dry.

American flag tissue paper wreath

Materials:

Elmer’s Bi-Fold Foam Board
X-ACTO Gripster Knife
Red, white and blue tissue paper

Elmer’s Quick Dry Dual Tip Glue Pen
Pencil
X-ACTO Ruler

Directions:

On one side of the Elmer’s Bi-Fold Foam Board, draw a circle with a pencil.
With the X-ACTO Gripster Knife, carefully cut out the circle.
With the X-ACTO Ruler, mark 1-1/2 inch marks on the inside of the circle every inch or so.
With the X-ACTO Gripster Knife, carefully cut out the inside circle to make the wreath base.
With the X-ACTO Ruler, mark a square in one corner of the wreath and then mark lines across and down the remainder of the wreath.
Tear multiple 3-inch by 3-inch squares of red, white and blue tissue paper.
Pinch the middle of each tissue square while gently pulling the ends upward.
Apply the Elmer’s Craft Bond Quick Dry Glue to the square section and carefully place each blue tissue piece until the area is covered.
Apply the Elmer’s Craft Bond Quick Dry Glue to the line section and carefully place each red tissue piece until the area is covered.
Repeat step nine — alternating red and white — until the wreath is completely covered.

Patriotic 4th of July paper plate noisemakers

Materials:

Two white paper plates
Hot glue gun
X-ACTO Decorative Shapes Template
X-ACTO Gripster Knife
Red and blue cardstock paper

Elmer’s Painters Paint Markers in red, white and blue
Elmer’s Craft Bond Quick Dry Dual Tip Glue Pen
Dried pasta or dried beans
Ribbon (optional)

Directions:

Place the X-ACTO Decorative Shapes Template on the cardstock paper.
With the X-ACTO Gripster Knife, carefully cut one to three stars from the template.
Using the Elmer’s Quick Dry Glue Pen, glue the stars to the wrong side of one paper plate.
With the Elmer’s Painters Paint Markers, decorate the wrong sides of one or both paper plates. Let dry.
Lay one of the paper plates on a hard surface (decorated side down) and fill it with dried pasta or dried beans.
With the hot glue gun, carefully apply glue around the edge of the paper plate.
Quickly and carefully place a folded piece of ribbon on the hot glue near the bottom of the plate (optional).
Quickly and carefully place the second paper plate on top of the first (right sides together) to seal the paper plates together.
Let dry.

source:http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/963658/4th-of-july-crafts-for-kids

Chocolate Cookie Candy Pretzel Bark

2013-06-16T22:20:00.005-04:00

Chocolate Cookie Candy Pretzel Bark

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 24-36 pieces

Ingredients

14 whole Oreo cookies, broken up into quarters
1 ½ cups pretzel sticks, broken into pieces
1 pound white chocolate candy melts (such as Wilton White Candy Melts)
1 cup Red, White, and Blue M&M's or other candy-coated chocolate candies
Colored sprinkles

Instructions

Cover a large cookie sheet with a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat or a large piece of wax paper.
Spread the cookie and pretzel pieces evenly onto the mat or wax paper.
Melt the white chocolate – either in the microwave* or over a double boiler – until smooth and fully melted. (*Anytime you melt chocolate in the microwave, it’s best to heat the chocolate in 30-second time increments, then stop to stir the chocolate before heating it more. Chocolate melts very quickly in the microwave and it can easily burn!)
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie-pretzel mixture, making sure it evenly coats the cookie and pretzel pieces. If necessary, use a spatula to evenly spread the melted chocolate.
While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the candy pieces and sprinkles evenly over the chocolate, pushing the candy down a bit if necessary to make sure that it is embedded in the melted chocolate.
Let cool until the chocolate firms up. Peel the bark from the Silpat mat or wax paper and break into small pieces.
Store in an air tight container.

source: http://www.afamilyfeast.com/chocolate-cookie-candy-pretzel-bark/

7 Ways to Have Fun With Bubbles

2013-06-16T21:34:00.005-04:00

7 Ways to Have Fun With Bubbles

Forget the little bottle and the dinky wand. This is serious bubble fun!

A Simple Pleasure

Every kid loves blowing bubbles. We defy you to find an exception. On a sunny day, it's a wonderful activity, whether it's just you and your grandchild or a whole gang of little ones. We have assembled our favorite bubble tricks, tips, and activities to help you make bigger, more colorful, more exciting bubbles together. Don't forget your camera! Bubbles make for great photo ops, too.

Paper Bubble Cone

For big bubbles, the best tool to use is a piece of paper. Make a paper cone by rolling a sheet of 8-1/2-x-11-inch paper. Tape the smaller end so the cone shape holds. Cut the wide end so it is a more circular opening, being sure to leave no points or rough edges. Stand your cone in the shallow dish of bubble solution, allowing it to soak up solution for a few seconds. Lift the cone to your mouth, tilt it up, and blow on the smaller end. Practice using a steady stream of air to make the bubble grow. To release your bubble from the cone, gently pinch the wide end of the cone or quickly flick the cone to shake the bubble off.

Make Your Own Super Bubbles

Follow this recipe to make super strong bubbles. Add food coloring for extra fun. You will need:

1 package unflavored gelatin
1 cup just-boiled water
1 1/2 to 2 ounces glycerin (available in the skin care aisle or at health food stores)
8 1/2 ounces Johnson’s Baby Shampoo

Stir the gelatin into the hot water until it’s dissolved. Mix in the glycerin and shampoo, gently stirring. The solution will gel as it cools.

Create Bubble Art Together

This project is messy, so do it outside or in a room prepared with newspaper or a tarp. You will need:

Bowls for bubble solution
Bubble solution
Tempera paints in multiple colors
Paper for your art

Set out one bowl for each color of paint you will use. Pour one cup of solution into each bowl, then add a teaspoon of tempera paint to each. Stir. Have your grandchild select a color and blow a bubble toward you. Your job is to "catch" the bubble, so it pops on the paper. The bursting bubble creates a unique splatter. Layer colors to make cool patterns. Switch roles and have fun seeing what designs you can create.

Make Your Own Bubble Wands

Wire hangers: Use pliers to stretch the hanger into a circle or oval. Be sure to cover any sharp edges with duct tape to prevent scrapes. For better bubbles, wrap the wand in cotton string or pipe cleaners, which will absorb liquid and allow you to blow bigger bubbles. Six-pack holders and produce baskets: Shapes like these make for amazing compound bubbles because they have multiple holes. Your fingers: This is a fun trick you and the kids can practice. Make an "OK" sign with your hand and dunk your finger-thumb circle into the solution. Blow through your hand wand. Use your imagination: Look around the house for plastic items with holes that you can try.

Blow Bubbles Within Bubbles

It's neat to show kids how you can blow bubbles inside bubbles (and even bubbles inside those bubbles). It's easy: Pour bubble solution into a shallow dish. Dip one end of a straw into the mixture, slowly blow a bubble, and rest it on the surface of the solution. Wet the straw end again in the solution and gently penetrate the bubble with it (a dry straw will pop the bubble). Repeat the first step to create a bubble inside the bubble. How many layers can you make?

Lava Lamp Experiment

This bubble science experiment is fun to do and watch. Make your own variations together. You will need:

Clear pint glass or similar-size glass
Water
Vegetable oil
Salt

Pour water into the glass until it is three quarters full. Add about 1/2 inch of oil to the water. It will float because it is less dense than water. Sprinkle salt into the glass and see what happens. Cool, right? Think of other powdery substances you can substitute for salt in the experiment — dirt, flour, sugar, etc. Is the effect the same, or does something different happen?

source:http://www.grandparents.com/grandkids/activities-games-and-crafts/sshow-fun-bubble-ideas-for-a-sunny-day

Bombs Away Shot Glasses

2013-06-16T01:35:00.000-04:00

Bombs Away Shot Glasses

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Bombs away shot glasses are double walled bomb shaped shot glasses. Made of solid glass, these shot glasses are sure to make your next party a blow-out. From Fred and Friends.

The next time you plan to party make sure you’re well armed. Our Bombs Away shot glasses are guaranteed to make it a blow-out! They’re made from high-quality double-walled borosilicate glass with a frosted interior finish.

2 Shot Glasses per set. Solid Glass.

Free things to do in the summer-Brooklyn

2013-06-16T01:28:00.002-04:00

Free things to do in the summer

Summerscreen

This alfresco film fest is back, showing a grab bag of ’90s nostalgia picks (so Williamsburg, right?), including Can’t Hardly Wait (July 10), The Craft (July 24) and Speed(Aug 7); ’80s comedy classics Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (July 17) and The Goonies (July 31); and a to-be-determined fan favorite (Aug 14). (You can cast your vote for High Fidelity, The Big Lebowski, The NeverEnding Story or another flick at facebook.com/summerscreen.) Each evening also features live music and food trucks such as Coolhaus and PizzaMoto; discreet BYO boozing is optional. summerscreen.org. Wed screenings at dusk, music at 6pm; free.

McCarren Park, Bedford Ave at North 12th St, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Wed Jul 10 - Wed Aug 14

Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

2013-06-16T01:16:00.002-04:00

Homemade Sidewalk Chalk

Age: 3 and up
Time: 20 minutes
Type of Activity: Arts and Crafts

Spending the afternoon creating a sidewalk masterpiece is a great way for your kids to enjoy a spring day. But long after their fantastic artwork has washed away, your kids will remember making their own colored chalk!

Materials needed:
1 cup plaster of Paris
1 cup water
Powdered tempera paint
Mold for chalk (small paper cups, ice cube trays, tissue rolls, etc.)
Mixing bowl and spoon

What to do:

Step One: In a large bowl, mix the water and plaster of Paris together.

Step Two: Add the powdered tempera paint to the mixture.

Step Three: Once the paint has been mixed in well, set it aside for a few minutes.

Step Four: Pour the mixture into the mold and let it dry. This can take anywhere from several hours to a day (or maybe longer), depending on the size of the mold. Remember: The bigger the mold, the longer it will take to dry.

Step Five: Once the mold is dry, remove the chalk. If the chalk is still moist, let it air dry for another 24 hours.

Now your kids can have a blast drawing with the chalk they created. Anything they draw will be washed away by the rain, so don't worry if they accidentally get some on the side of your house!

Read more on FamilyEducation: http://fun.familyeducation.com/childrens-art-activities/crafts/29578.html#ixzz2WLy0bD99