A Handful of Everything

New Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 19:34:00 +0000

I am happy to announce that I have started a new blog! It is called Evolve: Live. Grow. Give. I hope that you join me there.

Over the next several months I will be migrating and updating some of the posts originally published here on A Handful of Everything over to the new site. Some posts will not be moving.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you. I hope to have you join us at Evolve! Some things are similar, and others are brand new! Instead of focusing on crafts, Evolve focuses on developing and creating your best you!

https://www.livegrowgive.org

Speed Spark 6x6 Electric RC Monster Truck Review

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 03:47:00 +0000

One of the great things about being a blogger is the opportunity to review products for businesses. As a Tomoson Blogger, I was offered a FREE Speed Spark 6x6 Electric RC Monster Truck from Velocity Toys in exchange for my honest review.

This truck is a great gift idea and on sale for the holiday season at Amazon, see the link below:

I have two boys 9 and 11. When they opened the box and saw what came they immediately started unwrapping it. Pieces of Styrofoam and packaging lay all over the floor, you'd think it was Christmas morning! So much for getting a picture of it in the box...

One great thing about this truck is that it comes with a rechargeable battery pack. No more buying a mountain of batteries! And the controller only turns on when you use it, you don't have to worry about leaving it on and the battery draining, this is very helpful with forgetful children.

After fighting over who got to go first, the boys took turns driving all over the house. The dogs even had fun chasing the truck or being chased by the truck. It lights up and has six wheels which my boys thought made it look awesome.

It doesn't corner the very best, but I'm sure part of that may be operator error, I'm expecting that to improve as they use it more and more. The one down side is that it doesn't have a very long range. You need to be within about 20 feet or so of the truck with the remote for it to work properly. That's not an issue with my kids because they want to follow it around and watch it, but be aware of that. It does drive better on carpet than on a slicker surface like the kitchen floor. We have laminate wood floor in our kitchen and it still drives but it doesn't have as much control as on the carpet. We haven't taken it outside yet, but I'm excited to see how it does.

Great Idea Thursday's - 108

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

I am so sorry about last week. Time got away from me and I hope I didn't interfere with your plans. I can't believe that school is almost ready to start back up again. Two weeks for my kiddos!

They are excited to go back and be with their friends and start back into sports. Summer days go by all too quickly. Hopefully because of all the fun :)

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #108

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Great Idea Thursday's - 107

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Are you loving summer as much as I am? The sun is shining, my grass is dying, the dogs are romping around in the yard and through the sprinkler. It's heaven!

What do you love most about summer? Do you look forward to anything special every year? What traditions do you have?

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
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Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #107

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Chalk Markers Review

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:15:00 +0000

Stardom Brands Liquid Chalk Marker Review

As a blogger, I am offered some amazing opportunities to review products. Stardom Crafts offered me a FREE set of their Liquid Chalk Markers Mega Pack in exchange for an honest review. This has been one of the most fun reviews I have done! I love these chalk markers and plan to use them a lot in the future.

These liquid chalk markers are amazing. First of all there are a lot of them! 18 markers. Most other packs I have seen come either only with 8 or 10 markers, so you get an great value with this Mega Pack. The colors are bright and once the liquid is completely into the tip (within a few seconds) they create a wonderful solid line.

These markers write on many surfaces. Chalk boards, mirrors, metal, glass. It just needs to be non-porous. If you're not sure it will work on your surface test in a small area before continuing.

An amazing feature of these markers is that the tip is reversible so you can choose whether you want a bold or a finer line by choosing the chisel or bullet side of the tip. Great for creating a professional look to your chalk work.
These are easy to use. Unlike regular chalk, they are completely dust free! No smudging and mess.
The markers are water based for easy clean up and are non-toxic. They are safe for the environment and for anyone 3 and up.
90 day money back guarantee. If you don't love your liquid chalk markers Stardom Brands will refund your money no questions asked.

Creating beautiful designs and writing messages with chalk is so much easier with these fabulous markers. They are perfect for business or a budding artist. Check out what I made with them.

Had to clean all of the nasty chalk dust off the board from using regular chalk.

I took a few minutes to shake each marker and get the liquid into the tips (a few seconds for each one).

Started playing!

These markers are amazing! Super easy to use, the liquid flows nice and evenly and cleans up quickly with water. My new favorite!!!

Perfect for summer :)

Great Idea Thursday's - 106

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

How is your summer going? Cookouts on the grill and smoker are so much fun! Can I just say I love meat cooked outside? Anyway, summer is amazing and I hope ya'll are making the most of it!

What fun things have you been up to?

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
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Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #106

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Great Idea Thursday's - 105

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

I had a wonderful holiday weekend and I hope ya'll did too! Grilling out and getting together with family is a great way to spend the day! Now we are getting some much needed rain and it feels amazing!

What great projects have you been working on this summer?

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #105

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Great Idea Thursday's - 104

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

*Image from: http://www.homemade-preschool.com/Fireworks-Clipart.html

Happy 4th of July!!!

I hope ya'll have amazing plans to celebrate Independence Day! BBQ's, Picnic's, Fireworks... Gotta love summer!

Thanks for being fabulous readers and for putting up with me while I was gone. Look for my fun celebration party- COMING SOON!!!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #104

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Great Idea Thursday's - 103

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Welcome Summer! There are so many wonderful things about all of the seasons... I love the flowers in spring, the crisp autumn air and apples in the fall, beautiful white snow in the winter. But, I don't think anything compares to summer fun! Break out those beach towels and sunscreen, here we come!

Thanks for coming to party with us!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #103

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Great Idea Thursday's - 102

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Summer is right around the corner. School is out, the kids are outside... hopefully not bored yet :) What is your favorite thing about summer? What do your kids most look forward to?

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #102

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Great Idea Thursday's - 101

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

For some reason I just have the Twisted Sister song in my head... "School's out for summer!"

Don't get me wrong, I love school and I am a huge advocate of education and literacy, but I can't wait to throw my kids into some water! I see hoses and water balloons in my future :)

I hope you have fun linking up with us! See ya next week :)

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
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Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #101

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Great Idea Thursday's - 100!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

*Picture from Google Images

Guess what??? Today is the 100th Great Idea Thursday Party!!! Wohoo! I hope you brought something fun for the party :) When I am back to my computer in July, we will have a super fun celebration! So, start thinking about what amazing things you want to share for the big party!

In the meantime, link up! Thanks for coming. Ya'll are great :)

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #100

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Great Idea Thursday's - 99

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 27 May 2015 22:10:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

So.... Next week will be my 100th Great Idea Thursday Party!!! I will be off the computer for the month of June so you better believe that come July we are going to have a wicked fun celebration! So, start thinking about what amazing things you want to share for the big party!

Even though I will be off the computer, there will be GIT party's when I'm gone so please still come by to link up! As always, thanks again for coming. I love my readers :)

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #99

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Great Idea Thursday's 98

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 20 May 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Well no crazy snow storms this month but we have been full of rain showers. And the forecast predictions for the next 8 days... more rain. Not so great for outside activities, but hopefully that will bring us out of our drought.

What fun things have ya'll been up to? I have a fun family vacation coming up my boys are super excited about. There will be GIT party's when I'm gone so please still come by to link up! As always, thanks again for coming. I love my readers :)

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #98

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Great Idea Thursday's - 97

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 13 May 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

How was your Mother's Day weekend? I loved getting to sleep in and spend time with my kiddos. The chocolate and shoes didn't hurt any either ;)

The rain has been coming down, which is fabulous for all of the flowers (that I didn't get planted yet...) But for all my neighbors, they will have beautiful yards! We are hoping for clear skies and baseball! Go Wolverines :)

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #97

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Great Idea Thursday's - 96

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 06 May 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful ladies in your life!! It totally snuck up on me this year I was thinking I had another week, but I get to celebrate early. Wahoo :) I hope you have an extraordinary weekend.

Anyway, thanks so much for coming to party with us! If you haven't already, please give a big hello to my fabulous Co-Host Miss Joy!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #96

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6 Piece Canning Set Review

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 06 May 2015 17:56:00 +0000

I am still learning when it comes to canning but I religiously make freezer jam every year and this year I am determined to try more fun things! Through Tomoson, the SKG Group offered me this Bellemain 6 Piece Canning Set for FREE in exchange for my honest review.

All the pieces in the step are handy for each step in the canning process from sterilizing, to filling, to sealing the jars.

The Set includes 6 pieces:

Funnel
Jar Lifter
Magnetic Lid Lifter
Tongs
Bubble Popper/Measuring Stick
Lid Remover Wrench

All the metal tools have a vinyl coating for a better grip and are stainless steel. They will last longer and are easy to care for.

The entire set is dishwasher safe!

If you are new to canning like me or an expert, having good tool makes the process easier and safer.

The Wide mouth funnel is made of heavy-duty plastic and will work with both standard and wide mouth jars. Vent notches help foods flow through the funnel quicker and the thumb grip is perfect for keeping your hands clean.

The Jar lifter is a scissor action tool that helps safely lift any size canning jars out of boiling water. This is important for minimizing the risk of burns and potential jar breakages. The vinyl coating on the lifters offers a more secure grip while handling hot jars.

Removing lids from a boiling sterilization bath can be tricky. The Magnetic Lid Lifter removes the danger of burning hands and with the touch of the magnet to a lid allows you to lift if out of the boiling water, place on the jar keeping it perfectly sterile during the canning process.

To move food around inside the jars or to move jars around inside the canning bath, the tongs will keep your hands away from boiling hot liquids. The vinyl coating on the handles in addition to the texture nodes on the grabbing end aid in a better grip at both ends of the tongs.

The bubble popper/measuring stick is a heat-resistant plastic wand that makes removing bubbles from processed jars easy before putting on the lids. There are measurement marks on the other end to make sure that filled jars have the proper amount of "head room."

Tightening lids on hot jars can be hard on hands and fingers. The heat-resistant vinyl cushioning on the lid remover wrench helps protect jars from breaking as well as your fingers from burning while you tighten the outer lid rings. Once the seal is complete, it can be used to remove the rings for reuse and to extend their life.

This set is great quality and has all the essentials for canning.

Great Idea Thursday's - 95

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Hello Spring! After snow and then rain the sun has come out and everything is green! Including the weeds but we are going to pretend that I've pulled them all. And we are going to pretend that all the little yellow flowers in my front yard are really flowers and not dandelions... I did have to appreciate the innocence of children when my boys told me how beautiful the front lawn looked. Well at least until I can make a Home Depot run for some weed and feed and some real flowers!

Anyway, thanks so much for coming to party with us! If you haven't already, please give a big hello to my fabulous Co-Host Miss Joy!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #95

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Zester/Grater Review

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 17:55:00 +0000

So, ya'll know I'm a sucker for anything in the kitchen. I love baking and I love making new recipes. So, when Tomoson gave me the opportunity to work with Smarty Pants Supplies and get their #1 Best Premium Zester/Grater for FREE in exchange for my honest review, I accepted without hesitation.

When I moved last summer I lost my old zester and I didn't realize how much I loved it until I didn't have one any more. These zester/grater's are perfect for zesting citrus, grating cheese, chocolate, cinnamon, spices, and nuts.

It has a sharp stainless steel blade with a cover.

Add Flavor in Seconds!

Grate Parmesan over soups and salads
Add chocolate garnish to a chocolate drizzled dessert
Add garlic and peppers to homemade guacamole
Grate lemons, limes, and oranges to add zest to pesto, dressing, desserts...
Create a marinade for seafood, chicken, and meat with fresh spices and flavors

Safe, Easy to Use and Clean up!

Super thick handle for a safe, comfortable grip
Plastic snap on cover to protect blade during storage
Extra long, 8" stainless steel blade means zest is perfect every time
Dishwasher safe for easy clean up
Durable and built-to-last design is backed by a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

I totally love this! The blades are sharp, cut evenly and consistently and cleans up great in the dishwasher.

The first time I remembered to actually take pictures using my zester was while making homemade Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes. Since the base cupcake recipe was borrowed from a good friend I wont post it but I will be creating something fabulous from it in the future :)

The zest came off easily and clean without getting to the pith. It added amazing flavor to the cupcake batter and to the raspberries for the frosting.

Yummo!

What do you think of my cute little gifts?

Great Idea Thursday's - 94

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

For those of you who noticed we had the same party two weeks in a row. Super sorry about that. We had a fluke snow storm come on us and knocked the power out. But not to worry, everything is back to normal. Temperatures are back in the mid 60s, the power is on, and life is as it should be... Full of school, baseball, work, and maybe we'll sneak in some fun too!

Thanks so much for coming to party with me! If you haven't already, please give a big hello to my fabulous Co-Host Miss Joy!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #94

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Great Idea Thursday's - 93

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Welcome to another week of Great Idea Thursday's! We are back from spring break and ready to hop full swing into the school routine again. I should be excited to cook again but we are totally having frozen lasagna for dinner tonight... Yes I get the lazy Mom award. Anyway, I hope ya'll are doing great! And I can't wait to see what you've been up to.

If you haven't already, please give a big hello to my fabulous Co-Host Miss Joy!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #93

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The winner from last week's giveaway was David Lintz! Congratulations David :)

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Great Idea Thursday's - 92

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 22:00:00 +0000

Welcome to:

Welcome to Great Idea Thursday's!

Welcome to another week of Great Idea Thursday's! I'm so happy to have you, and I have a fun giveaway for you before you link up! Yummy Yammy is giving away some of their amazing Sweet Potato Salsa's and you could be the lucky winner from A Handful of Everything! See my review of the Salsa's here. Good luck! Tell your friends to come enter too! The more the merrier :)

I hope you are having an amazing beginning to spring. I am full blown into a head cold, but that too will pass... Thank you pollen and germs...

Anyway, here's to a better tomorrow, and a healthier week!

If you haven't already, please give a big hello to my fabulous Co-Host Miss Joy!

Joybee What's for Diner?

See Great Idea Thursday's There too!
Follow Miss Joy Bee:

Come share what you have been doing every week! If you are interested in Co-Hosting this party with us, shoot me an e-mail me: kristascookin {at} gmail {dot} com.

Great Idea Thursday #92

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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6000 Piece Loom Band Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 02:00:00 +0000

My boys love making crafts and the big thing the last year or so has been loom bands. Every where I go kids are wearing them, making projects, and asking for them. So, when Tomoson gave me the opportunity to work with RubberBandBracelet.net and get the 6000 piece Loom Band Kit for FREE in exchange for my honest review, I quickly accepted.

Is 6000 pieces a little excessive? Maybe, or maybe not. This can be the perfect gathering activity for scouts or a birthday party, a play date, or rainy day afternoon project fun! Even though there are a lot of bands, I have no doubt they will get used. Especially when you consider most project take several bands to complete.

The bands come packaged by color. 600 each of red, yellow, green, blue, pink, purple, black, and white. Each color bag has it's own small bag of clips. There are 200+ clips in the entire kit. And you can find them at my favorite store in the world... Amazon :)

This is an amazing deal. When you consider one pack of 500 bands is about $5.00 at most stores, and in this kit you are getting 6,000 bands. This is by far the best way to buy them. Plus, with the kit you get a variety of colors to make all the fun projects the kids pick out.

The bands are latex-free. Stretchy and soft. Perfect for kids and (parent helpers) and compatible with all major rainbow loom brands. Plus, they are 100% guaranteed!

Since my boys were off playing with their Dad this weekend I sat down on the floor, and picked two projects to make with the bands. 1st I made two cute little Pokeball charms for them to hang on the zipper of their backpacks. Then I made two quick and easy little Easter Eggs to put in their baskets.

The Pokemon Pokeball Charm:

I found the video instructions for this charm at http://rainbowloominstructions.com/. They have a whole collection of fun projects to make with your bands. Most do require a loom so if you don't have you will need one and a hook to make the two projects I did.

Yeah! Two pokeballs down and it only took me an hour to figure out how to use the loom correctly... If my boys would have been here I swear these would have only taken about 10 minutes a piece! So much for quickly making a surprise. I will save you the sad pictures of me pulling everything off and trying again and again. Thank heavens for the pause and rewind feature on youtube!

The second project was much quicker. I was getting the hang of using the loom and there weren't any crazy knots, just straight forward weaving.

Tiny Loom Band Easter Egg:

This project was taken off the Rubber Band Bracelet website. So, in addition to supplying you with this fabulous kit, they have a blog with several Loom Band projects. They also have a Video Project Gallery if you sign up for their club/newsletter. This video doesn't have as much detail as the Pokemon project, however it was an easier project so it didn't need as much. For this you will need a loom and a hook, and some fiber-fill stuffing or cotton balls to make the eggs puffy. (The trick is keeping your puppy from thinking that the stuffing is really his to play with...)

Two projects down and more to come!

These bands will be perfect to make scout neckerchief slides... Blue and yellow!

Yummy Yammy Sweet Potato Salsa Review + Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Mon, 30 Mar 2015 00:39:00 +0000

As a Tomoson Blogger I get some amazing opportunities to try out new products for FREE! I was excited to be introduced to Yummy Yammy. This women owned New England based company makes healthy sweet potato salsa's in three flavors: Mexican, Moroccan, and Tuscan. In exchange for an honest review, I received sample jar of all three!

These salsa's truly are a "Vegan Superfood Meal in a Jar." They are full of good flavor and good for you!

These salsa's are the only sweet potato salsa's in the world!
No fat
No sweeteners of any kind
250 calories in an entire jar! The Moroccan only has 200.
Gluten free
Non GMO corn and citric acid.
Woman-owned company
Vermont-based company
Available in 100 stores from Wisconsin to Florida

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The only thing I have an issue with these salsa's is the name. Salsa to me brings to mind images tomatoes and a fairly liquid dip/topping. These sweet potato salsa's are thick and creamy almost the complete opposite of what you'd expect in a salsa. They are more the consistency of a bean dip than that of a salsa. But I suppose that problem is based merely on semantics...

Regardless of the name, the flavors of these salsa's are absolutely amazing. I love that they are amazingly healthy for you, and I love that they are full of flavor without any unnecessary ingredients.

I loved the depth of flavor in the Mexican salsa. Chipotle and black bean are a classic combination and great on tortilla chips. This would be fantastic on nachos or in a quesadilla. I thought I was getting the medium strength so when I realized it was hot I was a little nervous. It was still great. My kids wouldn't try it because it was hot, but had I received the mild or medium version of the salsa I know at least my oldest would have devoured it with me.

The Tuscan salsa has the sweetest flavor of the three, even though there are no additional sweeteners added. Balsamic vinegar is pared with the amazing flavor of roasted red peppers, white beans, and basil. It is like Italian food in a jar minus the tomatoes. In my opinion this is the most kid friendly, with familiar flavors and a sweeter rather than spicy flavor.

The Moroccan salsa has the most flavor. The roasted sweet potatoes are mixed with curry spices, lentils, and kale. This is absolutely delicious on pita bread or would be amazing mixed in a soup or served over rice with lamb or chicken. Adults are sure to love this one! My kids are a little reserved in their cultural cuisine so this was the one of the three that was too spicy for them. I am totally on a Mediterranean food kick right now, so I thought it was absolutely amazing.

The salsa's can be used as a traditional salsa/dip, added to a finished entree, or as the base of a meal. Use it as filling in a burrito or wrap, topping on a pizza, sauce for pasta or rice, as a nacho topping, or to flavor the main protein in your dish.

If you like what you see, Yummy Yammy is currently looking for fellow Yambassador's on their website. As a Yambassador you receive the best deals and specials, plus news and recipes, and a special thank you gift of a free shipping code for one Amazon.com order!

The website has a blog and a recipe collection for you to browse and get great ideas for your salsa's.
Some examples of recipes are:

Quick Tuscan Pasta
Simple Tuscan Wrap
Fast and Nutritious Moroccan Breakfast
Moroccan Lamb Stew
Superfood Nachos
Instant Mexican Soup

Head on over to the Yummy Yammy website and join the Sweet Potato Revolution :)

A little excerpt about the owner from the website:

Hi! I am Lisa Johnson, the Yambassador at Yummy Yammy. I have chosen my business name and corporate title to celebrate how declicious, healthy and fun our sweet potato salsas are. Yummy Yammy's mission is to help busy people eat better by delightfully bringing sweet potatoes to the nation.

Why Sweet Potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are delicious
Sweet potatoes are gorgeous, with their sunny orange color
Sweet potatoes offer great mouth-feel, velvety texture, and smooth creaminess
"Yam" is a fun name to work with
Sweet potatoes are so undervalued in our busy, hectic, and fast-food culture and...
Sweet potatoes are so incredibly healthy fur us to eat!

Whether you already love sweet potatoes, or have never liked them, or don't even know what they are, you should try our salsas. They're delicious, they're new, they're fun, and they're so healthful you won't believe it.

Many people enjoy yams with brown sugar, butter and marshmallows. That's certainly how we had them when I was a kid, at Thanksgiving dinner. And now you can get rich, scrumptious sweet potato fries at any restaurant.

But here's what I do differently: I have a hundred new, different, and exciting ideas for making them savory, taking them from the side dish to the center of the plate, and keeping them the amazing nutritious powerhouses they naturally are.

My background:

12 years at natural food stores in Vermont & New Hampshire
10 years helping people find fresh farm products and build meaningful economic relationships with farmers (for instance, we helped Dartmouth College buy more local vegetables for their kitchens)
Lots of stints working at restaurants when I was younger
Cooking for 36 hungry apple pickers
Several years of work on organic farms: planting, weeding, harvesting fruits and vegetables
Living all over the US and in Mexico
Gardening and cooking all my life for the sheer joy of it

Mostly, though, what you want to know about me can't fit on a resume or list of accomplishments. I am irrepressibly entrepreneurial and my mind is constantly filled with possibility. People have told me I'm a leader and a visionary, and I can at least say that all my life I have desired those qualities.

This business is possible becuase my husband cheers me on constantly (and does a lot of dishes), my kids draw delightful artwork and taste all my food, and I am surrounded by skilled and inspired friends and professionals who give me lots of feedback. I know there is no such thing as a "self-made man." We are supported and sometimes carried by the ones who love us, and without that, no business idea ever sees the light of day.

One last thing: please tell your friends about us! Your positive experience is by far the best marketing there is.

So, spread the word - that makes YOU a Yambassador too!

Yammily yours,

Lisa & Family

Cinnamon Life Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Krista) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 23:53:00 +0000

Ready for some color? Tomoson and Sunsella have sent me 12 silicone baking cups for FREE to review. As many of you know I am a baker, and as much as I love fun paper baking cups, if I'm just baking for me and my family I feel bad throwing all that paper away. So, the idea of having these great cups caught my attention quickly.

My kids loved the bright colors and the best part is that 1) it didn't affect the baking time at all and 2) they just popped right off the bottom of the muffins without breaking them and I didn't have to use any non-stick cooking spray. They were simple to clean and I totally wish I would have had a set of these when my kids were little because they would be the perfect little snack bowls...

Regardless they are amazing. My kids loved them so much that they asked me to buy a set for their Grandma for her birthday next week. So shhh, don't tell :)

There is a link to amazon at the bottom as well as a 20% off coupon code!

Be sure to check out the Sunsella website for FREE recipes and see what other fun and colorful products they have for you!

Cinnamon Life Muffins

3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup Cinnamon Life cereal
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 egg beaten
2 Tablespoons ground flax seed
1 1/4 cups bread flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup whole milk

Place oats and cereal in a large mixing bowl; cover with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and flax seed. Mix well.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the oat mixture alternating with the milk until moistened.

Fill your Sunsella silicone muffin cups using a large cookie scoop until 2/3 full.

Bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 18-20 minutes until the tops are lightly starting to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 2-3 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

I love these silicone liners because they just pop right off the bottom. No need for non-stick spray, and no paper to peel off!

Yum!

20% off coupon code 'JJORSB8D'