These gorgeous and creative DIY decor ideas will fit any patriotic theme party from Memorial Day to the 4th of July, Flag Day to Labor Day, or any other day you want to proclaim your love for our great country.

Patriotic Party Crafts, Decor, Recipes and Free Printables

Add some red, white and blue to your party this summer with these 22 Patriotic Party Craft tutorials, DIY Decor ideas, Festive Recipes and Free Printables.

Crafts and Decor

4th of July Subway Art by Crafts Unleashed

Patriotic Wreath by Naptime Crafts

Fireworks Treats by The Pike Fam

Flag Blocks by Simply Kierste

Fourth of July Confetti Popper Rockets by Alpha Mom

Patriotic Party Favor Pail by Home is Where the Boat Is

Patriotic Pool Noodle Firecrackers! by At The Picket Fence

No Sew Flag Shirts by Our Good Life

Recipes

White Wine-Berry Sangria by Tastie Trials

Easy Patriotic Trifle Dessert by My Blessed Life

Firecracker Red White and Blue Cake by Betty Crocker

4th of July Cupcakes in a Jar! by The Tomkat Studio

Red, White & Blue – Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes by Love From the Oven

Patriotic S’mores by Full Circle Foodie

4th of July Cake by Krissy’s Creations

Patriotic Push Pop Cake by Love From The Oven

 Free Printables

Free Printable Party Circles by Bella Grace Party Designs

Star Spangled Party Banner by Tip Junkie

Stars n’ Stripes Snack Cups: Free Printable by Mardi Gras Outlet

Free 4th of July Printable Tags or Cupcake Toppers by The Polka Dot Posie

Patriotic Printable by A Little Crafting

4th of July Free Printable Bingo Cards by Makdoodle

What are your favorite patriotic party crafts, decor, recipes and free printables? Link them up in the comments!

Stacy Molter Patriotic Party Crafts, Decor, Recipes and Free Printables – Memorial Day, 4th of July, Flag Day, Labor Day Stacy Molter

If you don’t already know someone in your life with cancer, chances are you will one day. Nearly 1,660,290 new cancer diagnosis are expected to be made in 2013, and in 2013 nearly 580,350 Americans are projected to die of cancer, that’s almost 1,600 people a day. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US, accounting for about 1 of every 4 deaths. It’s time to finish the fight against cancer.

Finish the Fight Against Cancer

Cancer has been in and out of my life more than I care to admit. Cancer has affected my family, my friends, parents of my children’s classmates, and even a young child at my children’s school.

Shortly after high school my grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was a carpenter and often worked with asbestos before asbestos was known to cause cancer and scarring of the lungs. He was also a smoker and smoked most of his life, until the last twenty years or so as I remember. After a long battle against cancer, my grandfather passed a few years after his initial diagnosed.

During my grandfather’s battle with lung cancer, my mother-in-law was diagnosed with bone cancer. She was one of those women who never got a mammogram because there was no family history of cancer, and cancer would never happen to her. After feeling ill for over three months, she finally went to the doctors and was diagnosed with bone cancer. She was told bone cancer commonly begins as breast cancer, and if she would have had her mammograms her bone cancer possibly could have been prevented. She lived with bone cancer for 3 years, longer than her original diagnosis, and passed at the age of 52 years.

Just last year, one of the mother’s in my children’s class was diagnosed with breast cancer. She regularly goes for her annual mammograms, which is how the doctors discovered and diagnosed her cancer. Thanks to her getting her annual mammograms her cancer was caught early, and after a successful lumpectomy she is now cancer free.

This year, another mother from my children’s class approached me and said she heard through the grapevine that I had thyroid cancer. Though I didn’t have thyroid cancer, I did have my left-side thyroid removed at the end of last year because it had multiple nodules on it. As a family we decided the best defense against those nodules possibly becoming cancerous was to just have them removed. Now, I am worry-free. My right-side thyroid picked-up the slack and I don’t even have to be on thyroid medication.

The reason this mother approached me to ask about me having thyroid cancer is because she has thyroid cancer. She has had multiple operations to remove more than half of her lymph nodes. She cannot undergo treatment now, and she continues to fight the battle against cancer.

Also this year, one of the children at my children’s school was diagnosed with leukemia. He had not been feeling well for some time and started getting bloody noses on a daily basis. He continues to fight his battle with cancer at home and goes for daily chemo treatments.

Cancer can affect anyone, at any age, at any time. The only way to finish the fight against cancer is to take a moment against silence and make some noise!

About the American Cancer Society

In 1913, 15 determined physicians and business leaders wanted to raise awareness of cancer. Since then, the American Cancer Society has grown to become the world’s leader in the fight to end the disease.

Thanks to the efforts and dedication of the American Cancer Society, cancer death rates have declined 20 percent since the early 1990s, saving nearly 1.2 million lives. To help prevent overall lung cancer death rates, the American Cancer Society has helped lead the way to a 50 percent drop in smoking since the 1960s.

The American Cancer Society continues their efforts to raise funds for lifesaving cancer research, and to ensure people facing cancer have the help they need, like a free place to stay during treatment and a ride to get there.

On May 22nd, 2013, The American Cancer Society will turn 100 years old and they are celebrating with their campaign to the finish the fight and create more birthdays by saving lives. Learn how you can help finish the fight in the video below. Silence won’t finish the, only action will, and together we can finish the fight.

This post is sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

Please read my disclosures for more information about sponsor posts.

Stacy Molter Finish the Fight Against Cancer – Sponsored Video Stacy Molter

Source Food Allergy Research and Education.

Image courtesy of FARE.

Food Allergy Awareness Week 2013

This week is Food Allergy Awareness Week, a week dedicated to promoting education and awareness for those who live with food allergies.

Celebrate this week educating family, friends, teachers, school administrators, coaches, and anyone who is in frequent contact with children about food allergies and what they can do to help keep our children safe and alive.

Below are a few resources to help get you started andget involved in Food Allergy Awareness Week this year!

FARE

FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) offers several resources to help you get involved in the food allergy community and encourage others to help spread the word as well.  Some of these resources include; information on how to create a Food Allergy Action Plan, posters to share at schools and team sports Food Allergy Awareness Poster (8.5×11) Food Allergy Awareness Week Poster (11×17), Bookmarks to share with schools and friends, and information on How to Read a Label.

In addition to the many resources to help you spread the word about food allergies in your community, FARE has shared some wonderful activities to help you get involved in Food Allergy Awareness Week virtually. Check them out here!

Food Allergy Buzz Annual Twitter Party

Jennifer from Food Allergy Buzz will be hosting the 4th annual FAAW Twitter party on Thursday at 7:00 PM EST. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with others in the online food allergy community LIVE, plus you could win a prize from one of the many party sponsors including; Collette Martin, Enjoy Life Foods, FABLogCon, Onespot Allergy, Peanut Free Planet, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Sarah Todd Origami Owl, Shirley Plant, Surf Sweets, and Tasterie.

You can view the twitter party invitation here. I’ll be there so be sure to say ‘Hi!’.

About Food Allergy Awareness Week

In 1998, the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, now FARE, created Food Allergy Awareness Week to educate others about food allergies, a potentially life-threatening medical condition.

For more information on food allergies and what you can do to help, please visit the Food Allergy Research and Education website.

Do you have someone close to you living with food allergies? What are you doing to help spread the word about food allergies?

Stacy Molter Food Allergy Awareness Week 2013 Stacy Molter

I love to be pregnant, and of course I love the children that come with pregnancy, but I don’t love what pregnancy does to my body. And, after having four children (two being a set of twins) you can imagine my diet and weight aren’t what they once were. So two weeks ago, my husband and I embarked on a lifestyle change (we’re not going to call it a diet) and took The Fast Metabolism Diet challenge.

I know, the first thing you’re going to say to me is ‘But you just said it isn’t a diet, so why is the word diet in the title?’. According to the book’s author, celebrity nutritionist and wellness consultant Haylie Pomroy, diet should stand for ‘Did I Eat Today?’, and when she says that she means it. I’m eating more food now than I when I was counting calories trying to lose my last 20 pounds of pregnancy weight and yes, I’m losing weight faster than when I was counting calories.

The Fast Metabolism Diet

The Fast Metabolism Diet focuses on losing weight through the fat-burning power of food. On this plan you’re going to eat a lot, every 3 – 4 hours, which means three full meals and 2-3 snacks a day. What you eat will rotate through three phases each week following Haylie’s easy weekly meal maps including two days of lots carbs and fruits, two days of lots of protein and veggies, and three days of all the above plus healthy fats and oils (my favorite phase by the way).

Think this sounds to good to be true? Just check out the tweetgrams I sent with our results for the first two weeks!

In just two weeks I’ve lost 6.2 pounds, 2.5″ from my chest (not bust), 3″ from my waist, 5″ from my midway (belly), 3.5″ from my hips and 1″ from my thighs. And hubs had lost a total of 10 pounds! You can’t argue with those results. Best of all, we’re not hungry like we usually are when we try to diet.

We still have two more weeks to go on The Fast Metabolism Diet so check back with us in two weeks for our final thoughts and results. I’m excited to see how much we lose on this plan.

Have you tried The Fast Metabolism Diet? What were your results if you did?

Please read my disclosures for more information about sponsor posts.

Stacy Molter The Fast Metabolism Diet – Haylie Pomroy Stacy Molter

I’ll admit, when I was first asked to create another summer bucket list for kids this year I was a bit nervous. After all, last years summer bucket list was so awesome I didn’t know how I was going to top it. But, after wracking my brain (and with a little help from my favorite 7-year-olds) we’ve come up with 77 all new, awesome and fun activities for kids to do while on summer vacation this year.

Our boys are counting down the days until the first day of summer so they can start on our bucket list. Remember, these are ideas for you to build on. If something doesn’t fit your lifestyle, then change it and make it your own. There’s only one rule when completing your bucket list activities, have fun and make lifelong memories with your children. (OK, make that two rules.)

Summer Bucket List for Kids 2013

Download Free Summer Bucket List for Kids 2013

What will do you this summer vacation?

Stacy Molter Summer Bucket List for Kids 2013 Stacy Molter

Chocolate Chip Sunbutter Pudding Cookies Recipe

This recipe is free of peanut, tree nuts, dairy, fish & shellfish. This recipe does contain wheat and egg. No soy was added to the recipe, but Sunbutter states this product is processed on equipment with soy.

Ingredients:

Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

• 2 1/4 cups Archer Farms Organic All-Purpose Unbleached Flour (barley free flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening
• 1/2 c SunButter Natural Sunflower Seed Spread
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant pudding mix (I use banana cream, but vanilla will work too.)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 (10 oz bag) of Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Optional:

• 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Combine the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
3. Whip the Spectrum 100% Organic Expeller Pressed Palm Oil Vegetable Shortening, brown sugar, white sugar and Sunbutter.
4. Add the pudding mix, vanilla and honey if using. Beat until creamy. Add the eggs and mix well.
5. Gradually stir in the flour mixture.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Drop from teaspoon on to ungreased cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes.

(Disclaimer: Please be sure to check all ingredients for allergens before making any recipe. Even though these ingredients were safe when I wrote this recipe, manufacturing practices can change without my knowledge.)

Stacy Molter Chocolate Chip Sunbutter Pudding Cookies Recipe Stacy Molter

Silhouette America has made it easier than ever to create sturdy homemade tags for any occasion with their NEW line of 12 x 12 Chipboard media. Just check out the homemade gift tags I made below! (Full tutorial below!)

Working with Silhouette’s new 12 x 12 Chipboard was as easy as working with my favorite scrapbook paper. The chipboard is sturdier than paper, making it an excellent option for creating boxes, cards, tags, albums, banners, and other other projects which need media that has a bit of strength. You can even layer multiple sheets of chipboard like I did in this project for a stronger, more durable project. Even though the chipboard is thicker and more solid than paper, it cuts easily with any Silhouette cutter.

Silhouette Chipboard Promotion

Silhouette is celebrating the launch of their NEW 12 x 12 Chipboard this weekend and they have created some incredible chipboard bundles for everyone during the celebration!

(1)    1 Silhouette CAMEO®, 1 pack of chipboard, 1 natural dust cover, 1 $25 download card: $269.99
(2)    1 Silhouette Portrait™, 1 pack of chipboard, 1 grey dust cover, 1 $25 download card: $129.99
(3)    1 pack of chipboard, 1 $25 download card: $19.99

Visit the Silhouette Chipboard Promotion page and use promotional code STACY to cash in on this amazing deal!

Stitched Chipboard and Washi Tape Tags

Here’s a quick and simple personalized chipboard and washi tape tag you can create for any occasion with your Silhouette cutter. Creating this tag with your Silhouette cutter lets you change the sentiment as needed matching it with any themed washi tape, and you can cut perforated stitch holes making stitching the chipboard easy and pain free.

Supplies:

Silhouette CAMEO® or Silhouette Portrait™
Silhouette Studio® or Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition
Silhouette 12″ x 12″ Chipboard
Silhouette Spatula Tool
Tag Shape (Any will do)
Washi Tape
Twine
Large Eye Needle
Mason Jars
Sweet Treats

Optional:

Piercing Board

Instructions:

Open your tag shape in Silhouette Studio® or Silhouette Studio® Designer Edition.

Duplicate your tag and move it to the side.

On one tag, type a message in your favorite font and center. Remember to leave enough room under the text for your washi tape.

If your tag has an inner line, change the style of that line from solid to dashed to create a perforated line when cut. This will be your marker for stitching and the perforated cuts will make stitching easier. You may need to ungroup your image first.

If your tag does not come with an inner line, you can create your own by selecting the outer line, duplicating it, and scaling it down approximately 95%.

Repeat the above step for both tags.

Replicate you finished tag as many times as needed and to fit on a 12 x 12 chipboard sheet.

Place Silhouette’s 12 x 12 Chipboard on a cutting mat and load the cutting mat into your Silhouette CAMEO® or Silhouette Portrait™ to cut your design. Don’t forget to change your blade depth and cut setting for your material.

To cut your design, follow the instructions that come with your Silhouette materials.

Once your tags are cut, you’re going to start adding washi tape and assembling the tags before stitching.

Take one chipboard tag with the text cut out and one without. Place a piece of washi tape on the tag without the cut out text. Align the washi tape where the cut out tag will overlay as shown below.

Add washi tape to the tag with the cut out text in any design you want. Try not to put too many layers over one stitch hole, as it will be hard to push the needle through the many layers of tape.

Don’t worry about what the ends of the washi tape look like, just wrap the washi tape around the edge onto the back and secure. The other chipboard tag will cover the back hiding your washi tape ends.

Thread your needle with your twine. Place one tag on top of the other to begin stitching it closed using the perforated line as a guide, stitching through the perforated marks. Grab a piercing board if you have one to make stitching the chipboard easier. If you’re not a sewer like me (which is someone doesn’t sew ever), this will save your fingers while stitching the chipboard tag.

Begin stitching your chipboard tag with your needle and twine.

(Tip: If you covered some of the holes on the front of the tag with washi tape, turn the tag over and punch the holes using the needle from the back before stitching. This will help you find the holes and make it easier to stitch.)

After stitching, tie the twine off and add a second piece of twine to secure your tag with.

If you want to decorate the top of your mason jar as well, measure the insert of the mason jar lid and cut a circle the same size out of chipboard with your Silhouette CAMEO® or Silhouette Portrait™. (I used pint size mason jars which have a 2.5″ diameter lid.) Add washi tape as desired. Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns and color. Have fun with this project!

Fill your mason jars with a sweet treat and assemble your mason jar with the insert first, then the decorated chipboard circle, then the ring. Add the tag as a finishing touch and you’re done!

Have you used Silhouette’s NEW chipboard? What are your favorite chipboard crafts?

Please read my disclosures for more information about sponsor posts.

Stacy Molter Stitched Chipboard and Washi Tape Tags Stacy Molter

I love quesadillas (heck I love all Spanish food, but let’s just focus on quesadillas), but what I don’t love are those heavy, grease laden recipes you usually find in restaurants. I like my quesadillas light and packed full of healthy, satisfying ingredients that I don’t feel guilty about eating.

Goya Foods makes cooking healthy food at home easy with their line of organic and low sodium products, so you can create a healthy meal anytime like this recipe for Everyone’s Everyday Healthy Quesadilla!

Everybody’s Everyday Healthy Quesadilla Recipe

Packed full of healthy vegetables and grilled chicken, this recipe on how to cook a healthy quesadilla is perfect for anyone with a health conscious eating style. To get children involved in the kitchen, or if you’re serving quesadillas at your next party, let children and guests make their own personalized dinners by selecting the vegetable ingredients they love the most. Everybody will love this everyday healthy quesadilla!

Ingredients:

1 can Goya Organic Low Sodium Black Beans (drained)
1/4 tsp. Goya Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 c Grilled Chicken
1/4 c Shredded Cheese of your choice
8″ Flour Tortilla
Finely chopped vegetables including:

• Avocado
• Bell Pepper (Red, Yellow, and Orange)
• Tomato
• Green Onion

Directions:

Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush with oil.

Lay an 8″ flour tortilla on a clean surface and spread 1/4 c of the chopped avocado, bell peppers, tomatoes and green onions evenly over 1/2 of the tortilla. Sprinkle 1/4 c of Goya Organic Low Sodium Black Beans and the cheese on top of the vegetables. Fold tortilla in half.

Carefully place filled tortilla on the hot griddle. Cook, carefully flipping once, until tortilla is golden brown and crisp and the cheese is melted. (Approx. 5 minutes)

Cut quesadilla into wedges and serve with a touch of lime.

Optional: Serve with Goya Pico de Gallo or light sour cream.

Goya Foods Giveaway!

Would you like to win a Goya MyPlate Cookbook, Goya Olive Oil and Goya Organic Low Sodium Black Beans? Enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About Goya Foods

The premier source for authentic Latino cuisine, Goya Foods is the largest, Hispanic-owned food company in the United States. Founded in 1936 by Don Prudencio Unanue and his wife Carolina, both from Spain, the Goya story is as much about the importance of family as it is about achieving the American dream.

Please read my disclosures for more information about sponsor posts.

Stacy Molter Everybody’s Everyday Healthy Quesadilla Recipe Stacy Molter

A Groundbreaking Year: How The Railroad Saved River City

Developing a town site in what today is known as Old Sacramento was the idea of John Sutter, Jr. and Sam Brannan. The riverfront below the Sacramento and American River seemed an ideal location for commerce during the bustling gold rush.

But the natural landscapes along with the broad and low riverbanks made the area prone to flooding from heavy winter rains and snow melt from the Sierra. In 1852, Sacramento flooded and remained underwater for as long as six weeks. Then a devastating fire leveled most of the city in November 1852.

In 1853 Sacramento flooded and was underwater for nearly two months. In 1961-1962, California received a record amount of rainfall flooding Sacramento yet again. The continual flooding not only endangered lives and properties, but also the city and its status as the State Capital.

In an exchange for land between Sacramento and the Central Pacific Railroad, the Central Pacific Railroad built a substantial levee system holding back two rivers, moved the American River and raised the streets of the city saving the city of Sacramento.

Bricks Out Of Place: A memory of the underground that once was. These bricks along the sunken alley show what was once a first story of a building before it was risen above the grade.

BTS The Underground and the Railroad: How The Railroad Saved River City

The California State Railroad Museum with cooperation from the Sacramento History Museum provided a tour for its members to get the ‘low-down’ on Old Sacramento’s underground and discover how the Railroad was instrumental in building the levee system that saved the City of Sacramento.

The tour began with a presentation in the historic Eagle Theatre from museum director Paul Hammond. We then walked along the Old Sacramento waterfront exploring some the underground and above-ground sites and artifacts, including a replica of one the many waterfront cranes (pictured) used to remove supplies from the boats along the wharf in the early 1900′s.

We visited the historic Hall, Luhrs & Company Building (an active archaeological dig site) to explore the underground to see what lies beneath Old Sacramento, and the underground of the B. F. Hastings Building which was once the western terminus of the famed Pony Express. (Sorry, no photography was allowed anywhere underground.)

Old Sacramento is a California Historical Landmark. The National Park Service named the entire original historic 1850s business district of Old Sacramento a National Historic Landmark in 1965.   With over 50 historic buildings, Old Sacramento has more buildings of historic value in its 28 acres than any area of similar size in the West.

Source California Department of Parks and Recreation

Thank you to the California State Railroad Museum

The California State Railroad Museum hosts special events like this one for its members and their families throughout the year. For more information on California State Railroad Museum events or membership information, visit http://www.csrmf.org/

BTS The Underground and the Railroad Event Photographs

Stacy Molter BTS The Underground and the Railroad: How The Railroad Saved River City Stacy Molter

Thank you notes and gifts don’t have to be extravagant or take a lot of time to make. Check out the 10 Quick and Simple Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas I have found for you, that you can make this weekend.

10 Quick and Simple Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

If you’re last-minute like me, you’ll love the teacher appreciation gift ideas I have for you. From handmade crafts to free printables, there is sure to be a gift idea fit for you.

School’s in…Back to School Teacher Board! by How Does She

Teacher Appreciation “Creative Juice” Gift Idea and Printable!! by Tatertots & Jello

back to school teacher gift + printable by The Celebration Shoppe

School Supply Cake by What’s Scrappin’

Last Second Teachers Gift Free Printable by Landee See Landee Do

Free Printable Teacher Appreciation Bookmarks! by Positively Splendid

freebie :: teacher appreciation printable by design.wash.rinse.repeat…

A+ Teacher Appreciation Gift by Homespun with Love

Teachers Help Small Things Grow: Teacher Appreciation Gift by Giggles Galore

Teacher Gift Idea + Free Printable by Mommy by Day Crafter by Night

…and what is a cute gift without a great saying? Check out these 50 Cute Sayings for Teacher Appreciation Gifts!

50 Cute Sayings for Teacher Appreciation Gifts by Skip To My Lou

Do you have a cute Teacher Appreciate Gift Idea? Link it up in the comments below!

Stacy Molter 10 Quick and Simple Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas Stacy Molter