tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21457320364924579272024-03-13T13:52:19.688-04:00PLAY PENDINGCandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-59938341941521372142014-01-10T11:05:00.001-05:002014-01-10T11:05:42.965-05:00[make] fun with feltI was asked to help with some activity bags at our church. Instead of going with straight up painted canvas, I opted for something I could have little more fun with. I started with small tote bags in bright colors from Hobby Lobby.<br />
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Since the bags are to help keep little ones occupied during services when we don't have Children's Church, I thought the size would be prefect for preschoolers. They were all beautiful colors, but why not add a little something to make them unique?<br />
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This was my first attempt and Jack claimed it immediately. <br />
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Then, after the mushrooms I realized I may prefer the simpler styles. I love working with felt and I may have gotten a bit carried away ...<br />
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I added coloring books, crayons, stickers and stencils to complete a dozen 'Little Saints Sermon Kits'. The twins wanted a version of their very own of course.<br />
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How precious are the little lambs? I added a few extra details so they would have dimension like Jack's aquarium bag. As a happy coincidence, these little bags are the perfect size for carrying their bibles in addition to a few 'tools' to keep little ones nice a quiet during a sermon.<br />
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Which design is your favorite?Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-17866041595047669972013-07-08T18:00:00.000-04:002013-07-08T18:00:02.608-04:00[celebrate] red, white and blueOur family had an amazing July 4th holiday at Daniel Boone Campground. Festivities included games, contests and the ever popular, golf cart parade. <br />
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Thanks to the rain, golf cart decorations didn't start until the morning of but with some help of polka dot fabric and white duck tape, we rallied. Of course super cute children escorted by two handsome drivers didn't hurt!<br />
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We feasted on all sorts smoked, grilled and baked dishes thanks to our resident chef aka dad. Simple table decorations made the food the focal point with BBQ pork, smoked chicken and sausage, baked potato salad, grilled corn on the cob, grilled squash and zucchini, baked beans and creamy cole slaw. Watermelon, peach cobbler and doughnut sundaes complete with vanilla ice cream, strawberries and blueberries made the perfect desserts. Fireworks and glow sticks wrapped up Saturday night with our little spot having one of the best views in the campground.<br />
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Now back to the real world and the realization that summer is halfway over! Happy Independence Day!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-72136870375299585292013-07-01T14:50:00.002-04:002013-07-08T14:50:38.234-04:00[live] independenceIt's been so long since I've taken care of this little blog. Too long. My apologies to those of you out there still keeping up with PlayPending. I've sadly been missing since Halloween but life has a way of taking over. Now it's July and our 4th celebration will hit this weekend. Hopefully these inspirations will translate into realities that I can share in more detail.<br />
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In the meantime, Happy Independence Day!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-42196203526128823182012-09-25T17:00:00.000-04:002014-01-10T11:05:53.350-05:00[celebrate] your inspiration ...Little. Red. Riding. Hood. I mean how can you not base your whole Halloween off of that adorable costume? And the photo, oh my. So what is your Halloween inspiration this year?<br />
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I think mine is pretty obvious. All the links to the photos can be found on my <a href="http://pinterest.com/candyh/" target="_blank">boards</a>!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-25983886886457882222012-08-15T16:00:00.000-04:002012-08-15T16:00:01.207-04:00[make] roasted salsa amarillo?So it's not really salsa verde. I figure amarillo will work, right? <br />
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<i>Salsa Asado Amarillo</i><br />
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10-12 yellow tomatoes<br />
6-8 cloves of garlic<br />
1 yellow bell pepper<br />
1 sweet onion<br />
1 large bunch of cilantro<br />
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Start with yellow tomatoes. A whole baking tray full. Layer on garlic, yellow bell peppers, and sweet onions. Bake at 375 degrees until everything is bubbly, tender and little bit browned. Then comes the fun part. Scoop the roasted tomatoes out of their skins and throw the whole bunch in a food processor. Watch out - it will be hot. Pulse to your desired consistency and add a bit of interest. <br />
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Apple Cider Vinegar<br />
Sugar<br />
Salt<br />
Pepper<br />
Cilantro<br />
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These are all so dependent upon how sweet your tomatoes are and how sweet you want your salsa. Start with a 1/2 cup of vinegar and work from there. We like lots of cilantro (which will give you more of a salsa verde feel) but add what you like. You won't mind the taste tests. Throw all your roasted salsa in a jar or serve it right then.<br />
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A couple of warnings - the garlic get stronger as it sits, considerably stronger. But most importantly, this is a sweet salsa and those sugars just will not keep as long in the fridge. If you are looking for something to keep more than a week, you might want to think about canning it.Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-41389862688751292702012-08-13T16:00:00.000-04:002012-08-13T16:00:05.333-04:00[celebrate] ladies and lemonadeIn celebration of our new Etsy shop, <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/cphensley" target="_blank">CandyLand</a>, the girls and I had a Ladies and Lemonade evening. A little learning took place with the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/102936220/lemonade-day-summer-learning-fun" target="_blank">Lemonade Day</a> learning pack but we were really all about the party. <br />
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The little ladies decided that we needed teddy bear guests. Our menu was simple but perfect - party sandwiches, chips, fruit bowls and two varieties of pretty little cupcakes. <br />
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Maddie perfected sipping.<br />
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Kate perfected the pinky.<br />
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Despite the fact that Teddy got the first cupcake, we had a wonderful Ladies and Lemonade evening.<br />
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<br />Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-21289663281523770212012-08-10T16:46:00.000-04:002012-08-10T17:05:54.078-04:00[make] confetti salsaYou know how you get so excited in the spring when there are all these gorgeous little plants of all different varieties? Well, I may have over planted tomatoes this year in my garden. I ended up with 22 plants. That's a lot come July and August, especially considering that only Jack and I eat them. It's a 3 gallon bucket of tomatoes every two days a lot. Enter Confetti Salsa:<br />
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First step: Chop! <br />
8-10 seeded yellow tomatoes<br />
8-10 seeded red tomatoes<br />
6 cloves of garlic<br />
2 green ancho chilis<br />
1 sweet yellow onion<br />
1/2 yellow sweet bell pepper<br />
1/2 red sweet bell pepper<br />
1 large bunch of cilantro<br />
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Next: Season.<br />
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
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Then: Mellow.<br />
Stir it all together and tweak the salt, sugar and vinegar to your liking. Then into the jars it goes.<br />
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At this point I just put mine in the fridge. You could certainly go through the canning process at this point if you are up for that. <br />
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Finally: ENJOY!<br />
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<br />Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-85232204373892988362012-07-09T16:00:00.000-04:002012-07-09T16:00:00.119-04:00[learn] candylandIf you visited the blog before (and thank you for doing so) you have seen the TwinBop posts that we did this past year with our girls. <span style="background-color: white;">Education was the main goal of TwinBop but it needed to be pretty. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">I spent an incredible amount of time finding worksheets, activities and fun ideas that coordinated not only with the lesson theme but with each other design wise. Now I am just designing them myself. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">I've opened a shop on Etsy called <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/cphensley" target="_blank">Candy Land</a> that contains pretty themed sets perfect for a morning or afternoon of summer learning fun. They contain worksheets and play sets that you print yourself. Lessons that my super smart husband has reviewed making sure they focus on higher learning skills for the preschooler in your life. (I suppose his Master in Education helps out with that.) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">What makes these different than your average lesson plan? One, they are targeted towards ages 3-5 and are in line with the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy and Common Core Standards for Kindergarten. Two, I've added in fun food ideas for each theme along with simple and inexpensive games. Three, they are pre-coordinated both theme and color wise equaling, you got it, pretty. Learning during the summer just got a whole lot easier. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Check out the shop and let me know what you think. I'm adding more sets as often as I can and offering a little grand opening bonus if you are interested in purchasing a set or two. Look for bonus pages on the blog soon!</span>Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-13378908471344473832012-07-08T18:11:00.000-04:002012-07-08T18:11:32.621-04:00[make] surplus veggies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Part of the reason that I've not been blogging as often is that I've been out in my garden so much more this year. Between a wet spring and a hot summer, my veggies are coming on strong. Some a little too strong. My latest haul included loads of tomatoes currently on the stove boiling down. <br />
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But before the tomato boom, it was yellow squash and zucchini. With spring onions and a few green peppers matured, I managed some wonderful squash relish inspired by Carolyn's post on <a href="http://cookinformycaptain.blogspot.com/2011/07/canning-squash-relish.html" target="_blank">Cooking for My Captain</a>. I went monotone with the yellow squash, yellow bell pepper and sweet onion relish turning out wonderfully.<br />
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I attempted both sweet and dill pickles. The sweet looked awfully pretty with the addition of peppers and onions, an idea from this <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/35747390762225917/" target="_blank">pin</a>. I used my grandmothers old school recipe for the dill version (above). Half vinegar, half water, a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt. Add fresh dill from the garden and slice the cucumbers a little thicker. <br />
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Now back to the garden and on to more green beans.<br />
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<br />Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-71063228334041314212012-05-25T16:00:00.000-04:002012-07-08T18:11:46.207-04:00[celebrate] sadie priss soireeI own invitations for parties that I'm yet to have, just because they are pretty and I've picked party themes based on invites alone. I love invitations. Now my sounding board and source for custom invites, Amy, has gone public - <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SadiePrissSoiree">Sadie Priss Soiree</a>.<br />
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For years I've sent her my own design projects for critiques and suggestions. In fact this year, she hooked me up with a super sweet invitation based on my idea for a banner birthday festival for all three of my kiddies. </div>
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Amy has some really cool designs for invitations, party packs and sweet little posters. Check out her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SadiePrissSoiree">shop</a>, her <a href="http://sadiepriss.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a> or even her boards on <a href="http://pinterest.com/atmantay/" target="_blank">Pinterest</a>. You might want to be prepared to have a party for no good reason other than you really want to use the invitation. </div>Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-54588657667434187032012-05-22T16:00:00.000-04:002012-05-22T16:00:03.008-04:00[live] back to itYou'll have to forgive the time lapse. It's been spring and honestly, I've been outside with my hands in the dirt instead of on a keyboard. <br />
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So what's been going on? It's been busy. We've moved our camper to a new campground, converted the kids play yard to a raised bed garden and have been trying to keep up with all the happenings of school, church and scouts. But mostly, we've been enjoying the beautiful weather. Unfortunately spring seems to be behind us, so bye bye cool weather (and my lettuce) and hello heat. Happy Summer!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-26133861558304255862012-02-14T16:00:00.005-05:002012-02-14T16:00:05.429-05:00[make] love bugsLauren at <a href="http://goodygoody.typepad.com/goody_goody/2009/05/bitty-bug-pincushion.html">Goody-Goody</a> designed this adorable Bitty Bug Pincushion and shared it so I had to try a few.<br />
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I love the idea of using all circles and folding them to get the wings and head. It's also a great way to use up some of my extra fabric from my recent heart production. My bitty bugs didn't come out as perfect as Lauren's and I chose to go antenna-less and use brads for eyes. <br />
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They are still very cute and will make perfect little love bugs to give to my little ones today. Happy Valentine's Day to you and your family too!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-28889132153410904372012-02-09T16:00:00.003-05:002012-02-09T16:00:00.307-05:00[make] flowers pinnedI should avoid Michael's clearance section. I know this. But I didn't and found these felt and fabric flowers intended for scrapbooking. At less than $2 for the 2-pack, I couldn't resist. I don't scrapbook but I was sure I would find a use for them. <br />
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</div><div>Enter hair accessories for the twins. The orange flowers were perfect and they had built in bling! I just covered a hair clip with coordinating ribbon and glued them on. Done.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRBqiEuDlZA/Ty1vxGxSMrI/AAAAAAAABDQ/Af940oxTGio/s1600/Slide6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oRBqiEuDlZA/Ty1vxGxSMrI/AAAAAAAABDQ/Af940oxTGio/s640/Slide6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div><div>The grey ones were a little more difficult. I REALLY liked the grey felt roses so I decided a pin back may be more appropriate. You see, that way I could wear them too. Same went for the white roses. They feel like frosted glass. The girls wouldn't want those anyway, right?</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qIKiXXdmVyw/Ty1vwLQr8AI/AAAAAAAABDA/rMzBq1Wf_S8/s1600/Slide4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qIKiXXdmVyw/Ty1vwLQr8AI/AAAAAAAABDA/rMzBq1Wf_S8/s640/Slide4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div><div>I worked really hard and deconstructed the trios of black roses. Okay, I just cut them apart since they were sewn onto tulle and switched them up into two pins and two hair bows. Again, a ribbon covered clip or a circle pin back and hot glue.</div><div><br />
A few more little pink roses and yes, just glued them to a covered clip. So cute.<br />
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</div><div>So, for a $10 investment and about 30 minutes of my time, I ended up with some unique accessories for the girls and some pretty little pins for me, ummm.... the girls. </div>Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-40818535464682954532012-02-07T16:00:00.001-05:002012-02-07T16:00:04.756-05:00[make] bows come in pairs tooI need two of them. I'm getting a little better about using coordinating items rather than the exact same thing, but when it comes to hair bows. I need at least two of them. I mean what if they want to wear pig tails? What if they both want to wear pig tails? Okay, so I need four of them.<br />
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</div><div>Since apparently my car and the twin's room eats hair bows, time to make more.<br />
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I like to use grosgrain ribbon, heat seal the cut ends and wire them together tuxedo style. A little hot glue on the clip finishes them off and makes them durable enough for my ruffians. <br />
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Some are layered, some aren't, but all in all it seems to be a good batch. <br />
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And just in case you were wondering, there are in fact at least two if not four of each style. Pig tails after all. </div>Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-51281682193403663192012-02-02T18:00:00.001-05:002012-02-02T18:00:05.667-05:00[learn] jello is funWe colored jewels, traced the Letter J, and made jellyfish from paper bowls.<br />
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Jack ran off with JuJu the Jellyfish before we could get actual photos. Our results weren't as pretty as <a href="http://www.scrapbooksetc.com/blogs/iscrapuscrap/2011/06/15/how-to-make-your-own-jellyfish/">Michelle's</a> and we used crayons instead of watercolors. But what did the kids take away from the Letter J lesson? Jello is fun.<br />
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We used <a href="http://iowagirleats.com/2011/07/01/how-to-make-jello-shots/">Iowa Girl Eat's</a> idea and made jello shots. Don't be alarmed, no alcohol was involved in the making of this photo. The little cups are a lot of fun though, the berries add a bit more nutrition, and the lids - oh so nice for storing.Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-45804978327281547302012-01-30T18:00:00.002-05:002012-01-30T18:00:01.915-05:00[learn] jellyfish and jewelsWe had lots of ideas for the Letter J. There are a lot of important people in our lives that name starts with J: Jack, JuJu and June to mention a few! But in the end, we went with something a little easier to craft around, jellyfish and jewels.<br />
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Our materials for this time around:<br />
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All the worksheets can be found on <a href="http://education.com/">education.com</a> and the idea sources on the <a href="http://pinterest.com/candyh/twinbop/">Twinbop</a> pinboard. Now to start on the Letter J.Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-79752557142835472732012-01-28T16:21:00.000-05:002012-01-28T16:21:09.761-05:00[make] heart warming<a href="http://pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> strikes again. So how cute are these hearts by Brett Bara from <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2011/02/sewing-101-stuffed-hearts.html">Design Sponge</a>? So cute, I pinned my own pin.<br />
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The pattern is super simple and easy to use. I followed Brett's <a href="http://www.designsponge.com/2011/02/sewing-101-stuffed-hearts.html">tutorial</a> except for two tiny changes. I didn't do the stitching at the top of the pocket fold, just ironed - lazy wins again.<br />
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Since lazy had its say, let's let cheap, uh... thrifty come into play. My husband enlisted me for corn hole bags at Christmas and we just happen to have 46 pounds of the 50 pounds of deer corn left. Polyfil can get expensive, the corn was free. <br />
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The happy result is that you can heat these little babies up. Twenty seconds in the microwave and these sweet hearts become warm and perfect for putting in your pockets on a cold day. They fit right in the palm of your hand. Oh and I went kind of crazy making them, after all I had plenty of corn.<br />
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Packaged up two by two with a clever little saying and ready for warm Valentine treats. What's that saying about the mother of invention?Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-5254314519737531982012-01-05T19:45:00.000-05:002012-01-05T19:45:11.026-05:00[live] mud cornerWe live in a 1960's brick ranch with split floor plan which can be challenging. Imagine a long rectangle split down the middle, living spaces on one side of stairs leading down to an unfinished basement, bedrooms on the other. The entrance we use is our "side door" that leads directly into a narrow galley style kitchen from the carport. Naturally everything, purses, book bags, keys, coats, laptops, end up on the kitchen counter. We are constantly looking for keys, cell phones, homework assignments. <br />
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My previous solutions of hooks on the backs of doors, folders in cabinets, the idea of actually walking it into a bedroom, have been ignored by my family. My dreams of a mud room are just that, dreams. We just don't have the space. <br />
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Then I moved my husbands great grandmother's glass pie cabinet into the living room and presto, a corner. A mud corner. <br />
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Before, a corner of sorts between the bathroom and our bedroom on one end of the hallway. Now, a handy dandy area that we need to be a tad bit more organized.<br />
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I started with an <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60135299/">Expedit Shelving Unit</a> in black ($39.99). I love the cubbie style and that it's super sturdy. Then I added two <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20145479/">Nasum Baskets</a> ($14.99 each) for our "shoe boxes". I installed two hook racks ($1.99 each) that I picked up a few years back. Then for a little fun added a framed <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90075741/">Malma Mirror</a> ($2.99). All from Ikea for a grand total of $76.94 not including tax. <br />
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The kids have always kicked off their shoes as soon as they come in the door (if they don't do it in the car). Now they have shoe boxes. The twins have one and Jack has the other. This kids are GREAT at putting their shoes in there and now in the mornings, we know exactly where we can find their school shoes. I have a place to hang my purse, my keys and a shelf for my laptop and tote bag. Stephen uses his side for his brief case and laptop. Of course during Christmas, it got hijacked with poinsettias, pine cones, and soft fuzzy throws. <br />
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All in all, it is working perfectly and although I still dream of a mud room, a mud corner is a great start.Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-10896714848506340692011-12-26T12:38:00.002-05:002011-12-26T12:38:54.542-05:00[celebrate] merry christmasMerry Christmas from our family to yours<br />
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and Happy New Year, too!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-8104006310993550062011-12-20T17:20:00.002-05:002011-12-21T13:19:39.074-05:00[celebrate] holiday house partyOur annual gingerbread-less house decorating party went great. The decorating is the fun part, so we skip the mixing, cutting, baking and trying to get large pieces of gingerbread not to crack and end in disaster. I use cardboard. But not just any cardboard mind you, pouch juice cardboard. <br />
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</div><div>My Jack renamed Capri-Suns pouch juices. Our household goes through A LOT of pouch juice especially during the holidays when we are traveling a bunch. The boxes that hold all of this pouch juice just happens to be a perfect size for a little house. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xsSz7SgB_xU/TvC0tZYGKgI/AAAAAAAAA_4/vGPk2b2FwVs/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xsSz7SgB_xU/TvC0tZYGKgI/AAAAAAAAA_4/vGPk2b2FwVs/s640/Slide1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>1. First open up then end flaps and side flap and flatten out the box. <br />
2. Using a case knife or craft knife cut the box in half so that you have two long rectangles. You will cut through the side flap. The end flaps that you generally open the box with will run along the top or bottom of your long rectangles. <br />
3. Turn the rectangles inside out so that the printed part is on the inside and hot glue it at the long side flap that you opened up to get it flat in the first place. <br />
4. I used a large brownie box opened up and cut on the folds to make my roof. You can use any cardboard of similar weight to your pouch juice box. I just measured the end flaps (now the top) of the pouch juice square, cut the brownie box to size on either side of a fold and presto, roof. <br />
5. Now glue on the roof. The side flaps are super helpful when it comes to gluing the roof in place. <br />
6. All that is left was to set the house on a square cake base and you are ready for graham crackers, short bread cookies and lots and lots of candy. <br />
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The pouch juice boxes were recycled along with my brownie box and the cardboard cake bases were 4 for $2.50 at Hobby Lobby. In years past I've used recycled cardboard for those too, but I love that they are nice a white. Once you get the cutting done, assembly is a snap with some hot glue. And you don't have to worry about these falling to pieces once the kids get to decorating. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udUUG5tvL9w/TvC0ttPS4JI/AAAAAAAABAA/fIuHI4CbIDo/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-udUUG5tvL9w/TvC0ttPS4JI/AAAAAAAABAA/fIuHI4CbIDo/s640/Slide2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>These were our finished products. We may not end up winning any contests but I don't think anyone had more fun decorating them than we did. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNCvOmipBdI/TvC0t7o5H8I/AAAAAAAABAI/VX3l8GEq1_Q/s1600/Slide3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aNCvOmipBdI/TvC0t7o5H8I/AAAAAAAABAI/VX3l8GEq1_Q/s640/Slide3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Caution: Huge amounts of candy make it extremely difficult to get a picture of children sitting still. Note Baby A is the only one remotely in focus thanks to the fact she is still only drinking milk.</div>Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-13984383453007565622011-12-20T10:50:00.000-05:002011-12-20T10:50:37.045-05:00[make] christmas treatsBefore our Holiday House Party, the kids and I did a little "baking". I had found some <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/185562447116017280/">nutter butter reindeer</a> and little <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/35747390761859822/">marshmallow north poles</a> on pinterest. Here are our versions.<br />
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My little ones don't care for peppermint so we used red and white striped paper straws for our poles and dipped away. These little north poles are super easy and I was surprised at house quickly we turned them out. 90 seconds for the almond bark to melt in the microwave and not much more for the kids to dip them in the candy coating and roll them in white sprinkles.<br />
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As for the reindeer, Nutter Butters covered in chocolate with pretzel antlers and red candy noses. We used the icing eyes that I got from <a href="http://bakeitpretty.com/">Bake It Pretty</a>. How cute are these little things and my three kids did everything besides heating up the chocolate. The only problem we had were lots of noses went missing.<br />
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They were a huge hit at our Holiday House Party which is saying something considering all the candy competition.Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-38320162696471457122011-12-19T17:00:00.000-05:002011-12-21T13:27:39.205-05:00[live] holiday houseThis is the holiday house, no party, post. A few of my decorations inspired by Pinterest and a woodland theme. Pine cone trees and tiny deer hiding in the moss:<br />
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A little fox:<br />
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And a woodland themed Christmas tree:<br />
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The little paper mouse is courtesy of my Jack, he knows how I like everything to match so he picked a brown mouse with red ears. I didn't get to so many of the projects I had on my list, but there is always next year (and maybe a few more days until Christmas)!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-2251864797334885482011-12-19T15:40:00.001-05:002011-12-21T13:09:59.985-05:00[make] ornamentsI managed a few homemade ornaments this year. Simple but really pretty. The first is the simplest. Remember the <a href="http://playpending.blogspot.com/2011/10/make-plump-pumpkiny-success.html">sweater pumpkins</a>? A tiny embroidery hoop plus some of the red sweater leftovers equals a super cute little Christmas "ball" perfect for my woodland tree. <br />
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A thrifted men's plaid shirt yields a different but equally cute version. I didn't even hot glue them or put a string on them. I just nestled them in the branches. Done.<br />
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The next was more involved but the concept just as simple. <br />
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Terrarium Ornaments: <br />
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1. Gather up moss, plants, sticks, rocks, you name it.<br />
2. Get a clear glass (or plastic) ornament and remove the cap. <br />
3. Start with soil, about two tablespoons will do it. <br />
4. Put your plant(s) in. I used Creeping Jenny. <br />
5. Then add about the same amount of mulch as soil. <br />
6. Pack it all down with a cotton swap or chopstick. <br />
7. Start adding your moss. You may need to add a little more mulch to even things out. <br />
8. Now the fun part, add sticks, berries, stones, beads or even tiny little ornaments.<br />
9. Add a little water to keep everything growing.<br />
10. Use a cotton swab helps helps clean off the inside of the glass. <br />
11. Use a little twine to tie them on the tree.<br />
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All finished!<br />
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The kids helped me gather the plants, moss and mulch from our yard and we had the clear glass ornaments left over from Christmas's past so our craft was FREE! We even packed a few up for teacher gifts with the caption "thanks for helping us grow". A brown kraft box with some paper shreds kept them safe and sound for transport.<br />
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Now to see if we can sneak in a few others before Santa comes!Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-6780075323674074952011-12-14T08:21:00.000-05:002011-12-14T08:21:49.077-05:00[celebrate] holiday houses ...It's time for our annual house party. <br />
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Now to pre-assemble houses and collect some candy! (Isn't the gnome so cute? Thanks for the idea Amy!)Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2145732036492457927.post-89015397249578338462011-11-22T18:00:00.000-05:002011-11-22T18:00:05.642-05:00[learn] ice cream and igloosWe fit it in, almost two weeks late - but here is what we learned about the letter I, which actually ended up standing for icing more than I think anything else. <div><br />
</div><div>Since we've had a busy couple of weeks we stuck to crafts and snacks this time around. We started with an igloo. A very special igloo made of icing and tasty marshmallows.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8bS9aSFMVIs/Tsl7ygR_luI/AAAAAAAAA8I/rQh9dxJ0HWQ/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8bS9aSFMVIs/Tsl7ygR_luI/AAAAAAAAA8I/rQh9dxJ0HWQ/s640/Slide1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Inspired by this <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/35747390761846240/">igloo</a>, we opted to start with a bowl covered with a simple icing made of some water and powdered sugar. Coat the bowl, put the bowl on a plate and start with your oreo 'door'. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-emZVAEjX8H0/Tsl7y7LzILI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/gcj2y3KNj8c/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-emZVAEjX8H0/Tsl7y7LzILI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/gcj2y3KNj8c/s640/Slide2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Then came the marshmallows - easy peasy, stack them up (the ones you don't eat of course). For our bowl size and stacking, we used a bag and a half of the standard sized marshmallows so buy that extra bag just in case!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4611ErOtHqs/Tsl7zITfSPI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/pEopQWP6iaQ/s1600/Slide3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4611ErOtHqs/Tsl7zITfSPI/AAAAAAAAA8Y/pEopQWP6iaQ/s640/Slide3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div>Then some polar bears to hang out at the igloo. I had pinned these <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/35747390761858406/">little bears</a> made of foam and sold at <a href="http://www.platypuscrafts.com/viewitem.php?productid=27">Platypus Crafts</a>. The pattern seem simple enough although mine weren't quite as polished. I cut out heads (with pink marker ears), black noses, scarves and the front and back halves of the body. Then I long strip of paper to fold accordion style to attach the two body halves. After using a marker to make eyes and a little mouth, we got to gluing them together. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MesQ2SQHHwM/Tsl7znX0alI/AAAAAAAAA8g/Lf-5en0DZ2Q/s1600/Slide4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MesQ2SQHHwM/Tsl7znX0alI/AAAAAAAAA8g/Lf-5en0DZ2Q/s640/Slide4.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div>We did figure out one very important fact - if you want them to stand up, run your accordion folded paper sideways. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fb5QmM6-Wow/Tsl7z4C2MVI/AAAAAAAAA8o/z8L4J419758/s1600/Slide5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fb5QmM6-Wow/Tsl7z4C2MVI/AAAAAAAAA8o/z8L4J419758/s640/Slide5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>For our follow up snack - <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/35747390761858368/">ice cream sandwiches</a> rolled in sprinkles. Because why wouldn't you roll them in sprinkles? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4yyKn-hL-VQ/Tsl70Eu7s4I/AAAAAAAAA8w/P9aKXb4r-H8/s1600/Slide6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4yyKn-hL-VQ/Tsl70Eu7s4I/AAAAAAAAA8w/P9aKXb4r-H8/s640/Slide6.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Now for what else we learned besides the fact that ice cream and igloo start with the letter I? When you include a 6 year old boy, he will question why we are making polar bears which do not start with the letter I and those polar bears will not live in the igloo. They will be on top waiting for the Eskimos to come out of said igloo, also known as polar bear snacks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zJPYuZSpzvI/Tsl70t95LnI/AAAAAAAAA84/-0v1dRdIAKs/s1600/Slide7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zJPYuZSpzvI/Tsl70t95LnI/AAAAAAAAA84/-0v1dRdIAKs/s640/Slide7.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>And then this happened because again, why not? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w9N4nOm0p7s/Tsl702jTesI/AAAAAAAAA9A/ZzOIkcf6hpE/s1600/Slide8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w9N4nOm0p7s/Tsl702jTesI/AAAAAAAAA9A/ZzOIkcf6hpE/s640/Slide8.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Another successful and fun TwinBop, regardless of the fact that they are no longer weekly and we've gained a member and non-twin in the 6 year old. Now for the Letter J and hopefully sometime this month! Keep an eye on the <a href="http://pinterest.com/candyh/twinbop/">TwinBop board</a> for the upcoming ideas. Any suggestions or ideas for J? Leave me a comment! </div>Candyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08030465780134867988noreply@blogger.com0