Archive for the ‘Kids Crafts’ Category

DIY Knitted Boot Cuffs With Hazel & Ruby

Wednesday, November 4th, 2015

DIY Knitted Boot Cuffs from MomAdvice.com

Friends, I could not be more excited today to share with you my Knitted Boot Cuff Kit that I have created with Hazel & Ruby for their Holiday Crafternoon line that is available in Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft stores nationwide. It was such a great challenge for me as a crafter to design a kit like this and I have learned so much (and have a new appreciation for) about how people create these kits for the stores.

DIY Knitted Boot Cuffs from MomAdvice.com

What is Crafternoon?


The purpose of these kits is to be able to create a great gift in an afternoon for the holidays. In this kit, we have lovingly prepared everything you need to create a beautiful set of boot cuffs from lace to yarn to buttons. Instead of you spending time hunting down patterns, materials, or trying to muddle through a pattern alone, Crafternoon puts it all together to you in one easy-to-use package! Check out the video above to see what the fuss is all about!

Why I Know You Will Love This Kit

The thing that I believe really sells this kit though is a set of bamboo needles that you can use over and over again for knitting small projects in the round without the need for double-pointed needles. This particular set is typically not available in most craft and yarn stores. In fact, I have had to order my sets overseas and they cost about the price of this entire kit once I factored in shipping and the expense of the needles. This set includes my favorite needles and once you have them, you can use this pattern over and over again, adding your own unique and beautiful details to these cuffs.

DIY Knitted Boot Cuffs from MomAdvice.com

Will This Pattern Challenge Me?

I really hope so! I didn’t want to just a simple knitted pattern, although you can definitely do that with the materials provided too. I wanted to create a pattern that would help you learn a little bit of the lace technique (without that super thin yarn!), but that there are enough basic stitches that you could zone out a bit with a Netflix binge and just enough that will hold your interest and create beauty within the cuff.

DIY Knitted Boot Cuffs from MomAdvice.com

If you have never knit in the round before, these needles make it possible.  Crystal, from Money Saving Mom, shared on her Instagram feed her pride of knitting in the round for the first time thanks to this little kit. I couldn’t have been prouder of her and I know that you can do it too!

The kit not only includes step-by-step instructions, but you can also access a video where I walk you through every step of the way through this process and be accessed with the QR code on the back of your packaging or you can just watch it above! Doesn’t it feel like we are crafting together?

Amy Allen Clark from MomAdvice.com

Now hurry up and order a kit so we can knit together or order one for a holiday gift for a favorite crafter in your life. You can also pick a kit up at Jo-Ann that you can use this weeks 30% of total purchase on Wednesday AND of course they always have a 40% off coupon!

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Have fun blog-hopping through all of the beautiful Crafternoon projects! Lolly Jane has a beautiful Christmas Art Kit that she would love to share with you so swing by to see her Crafternoon project.  Be sure to check out the entire Crafternoon line from Hazel & Ruby for all of your gifting needs!

xoxo

 

Great Teacher Gifts on Small Budgets

Tuesday, July 28th, 2015

Great Teacher Gifts on Small Budgets from MomAdvice.com

I am a firm believer that it’s a great idea to start your year off right with a little treat for your teachers.
When my kids were small and I was tired, the gestures were small like a shiny apple on the first day and a handwritten note of thanks.
Through the years, I try to do grander gestures like knitted cozies and cakes made from school materials.
When talking to teachers about what gifts they love though, I am told that the act of thankfulness can be a rarity in this harried world and that is why even something as small as a note to say thanks can mean so much.
Today I want to talk about small gestures that don’t cost a lot, but could mean a lot to a teacher.
These are budget-minded projects created with a few items you can find at your local thrift store!

Craft Bookmarks From Jewelry & Buttons

Oh, I do love a good book craft and these button bookmarks are absolutely precious from peanut & olive.
The great thing about this craft is that it would be so fun to hunt for unique materials you could use whether it was from a sweater, a pretty button on a coat, a bag of odds & ends jewelry, or a pair of pretty earrings.
Pair it with a beautiful vintage school book or a stack of classic reads for the classroom for a thoughtful and inexpensive gift.

Create a Teacher Emergency Kit

If there is one thing you can always find at Goodwill it is jars for crafting. How adorable would this back-to-school emergency kit be for the first day of school.
Paint the jar lid in your favorite color, attach the free printable from Crafts Unleashed, and then fill it with a variety of emergency supplies (headache medicine, lint roller, mints, hand cream, chocolates, etc…) to get your year started off on the right foot with your child’s teacher.

Frame a Book Page

How simple and beautiful would it be to find a classic book and simply blow it up and frame it for a teacher.
As a book lover myself, I’d love a book page with the vintage illustrations like Little House in the Big Woods or Charlotte’s Web framed.
Julie Blanner shows you how she created this simple gift of a framed book page.
Placed in a simple black frame (spray painted or purchased that way), this would make a thoughtful thrifty gift.

 

Craft Some Pretty Pencils

I am a big fan of Modge Podge projects and this one is adorable.
Who knew you could wrap pencils in simple scrapbook paper to achieve such beautiful results?
Crafting Chicks shares this cute Write On printable that you could attach to a jar and fill with beautifully patterned pencils for a special teacher.
Add a stack of pretty notebooks (bought from those back-to-school specials) to pair with this pretty jar for a gift that your teacher can use and share with students in need.

Make Some Book Page Posies

Over the years, one of my favorite gifts to create and share are my book page flowers.
These look complex, but are so simple to make and they couldn’t be more inexpensive to create either.
With a book from Goodwill, you have all the materials you need to craft a beautiful bouquet of posies; or you can pair one flower with a shiny apple for a great first day for your teacher.
You can download the free printable petals over here on my site!
I hope these budget-friendly ideas have you dreaming of a fun way to start your year out right with your teachers.
If all else fails, a thank you note periodically throughout the year or time spent volunteering is always a beautiful thing for your teachers! 
 
The smallest things really do mean SO MUCH! 

What is your favorite budget-friendly teacher gift to give?

Share in the comments below!

We would love to hear about it!

This post contains affiliate links

Check out these other crafts on MomAdvice:

 

DIY Teacher Survival Kit

 

School Supplies Cake

 

Felt Flower Dry Erase Markers

 

Apple Wreath Tutorial

 

homemade-chai-tea-latte via Live Simply

Homemade Chai Tea Latte

 

 

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How to Dye Canvas Shoes

Tuesday, July 21st, 2015

How to Dye Canvas Shoes from MomAdvice.com

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site!

Many years ago I shared a post for how to dye a faded pair of jeans back to their original color with Rit dye and it remains one of our top ten articles STILL. I am such a fan of fabric dying and in honor of the back-to-school season, we wanted to show you a way that you can customize your style (or match your uniforms!) for your first day of school. This can also be a fun way to customize your gym shoes.

Not only can your child show off their own personal style, but it can also be a fantastic craft activity to do together before your kids head back to school.

This craft takes about an hour and requires parental supervision!

How to Dye Canvas Shoes from MomAdvice.com

Supplies Needed

Rit Liquid Dye (we used Royal Blue)

Faded Glory Canvas Shoes (only $5.87- what a steal!)

Band-Aid Waterproof Tape (over by the first aid supplies in the pharmacy section)

Rubber Gloves

Salt

Stainless Steel Pot & Tongs

How to Dye Canvas Shoes from MomAdvice.com

Directions

1. Begin by removing the laces from your shoes. You can dye these in the dye bath with the shoes if you prefer to have them the same color, or you can set them aside like we did until your shoes are dyed and dry. We loved the contrast of those white laces!

2. Cover the plastic edge on your shoe in your waterproof tape. Make sure that it is tight and secure to the edge of your shoe or it will come loose in your dye bath. This tape barrier will keep the edges of your shoe nice and bright just like those laces we set aside.

3.  Fill pot with enough hot water for fabric to move freely. We used a 1/2 bottle of Rit liquid dye and 3 gallons of hot water for our shoes. Stir to mix.

4. Wet your shoes in hot water well in your sink before placing them in the water bath with your tongs.

5. Bring dye bath to simmer. Stir constantly (back and forth, up and down). The length of time depends on how dark you want them. We were able to achieve this vibrant hue in just a short ten minutes. We didn’t want them a consistent color, but that pretty weathered look we love. If you want them to be an even color or are trying to achieve a dark color (like black), you can leave them in for 30 minutes up until an hour.

6. Rinse in warm water, then gradually cooler water until water runs clear.  Remove tape from the shoes to expose the edge. Wash item in warm water with mild detergent and rinse by hand or in the washing machine. I did an express wash and threw in an old towel with these. Clean washing machine using highest water level with hot water, detergent and 1 cup chlorine bleach using a complete wash cycle (I rewashed the old towel).  You can read more about dying in your washer (both HE and top-loading machines) here with detailed instructions from start to finish.

How to Dye Canvas Shoes from MomAdvice.com

7. Dry shoes in the sunshine and then lace your laces back in to finish. Struggling with tying? Try this super awesome tutorial for a new way to tie your shoes!  Wouldn’t these be a sweet treat to give your kiddo after they master it? My kids learned in about five minutes!

How to Dye Canvas Shoes from MomAdvice.com

We have uniforms so we have to keep it basic.  If you don’t- here are some other fun ideas for your kicks!

Want to really get creative? Check out these fun techniques for fabric dying!

Tie-Dye Your Shoes

Dip-Dyed Ikat Sneakers

Painted Faux Saddle Shoes

Dip-Dyed Shoes

Sharpie-Dyed Shoes

Have you ever customized a pair of canvas shoes? Let us know your experience and tips in the comments below!

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MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial

Tuesday, July 7th, 2015

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

*This post is sponsored by Universal Pictures. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site!

We have had so much fun preparing and hosting our MINIONS Backyard Bash in honor of the film’s launch on July 10th! Today we want to show you how we decorated for our party, the fun goodie bags we got to share with our friends, and an easy cupcake minion you can create for your very own party (no decorating skills required!).

In the new film, you get to go back to where the story of the Minions all began! Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, the Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters-from T. rex to Napoleon-the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a terrible depression. Kevin, Stuart, and Bob decide to seek a new boss to follow and decide to make a journey to find their new master. This is where they meet their new potential master, Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock- yay!), the world’s first-ever female super-villain.   They travel from Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in London. It is here that they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation.

We can’t wait to see this family-friendly film together and were selected to help throw a party in honor of this film’s launch. #luckyducks

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

We got an incredible package in the mail that included all the party supplies we would need to execute our backyard bash as well as fantastic party favors that included adorable beach towels, beach balls, and PlayDoh sets for all of our guests.

The only thing we really needed was Mother Nature to cooperate with our plans.

Unfortunately, it has rained for two straight weeks in Indiana so we had to move this party indoors and enjoy the fun inside instead!

Thanks, Indiana!

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

We weren’t going to let a little rain ruin our party though! We outfitted our table in blue and yellow to go with our theme. I let my kids do the decorating while I prepared our snacks.  The goggles, of course take center stage in this set-up. We secured a set of adorable goggles to each of the chairs with a little washi tape for each person to take home. Our centerpiece was also adorned with goggles and we even stapled some together to make a goggle banner over our table.

Lemonade, popcorn, and cupcakes were served for a little rainy day magic together.

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

The Minions are a hit with kids of all ages so we invited our friends and cousins to join us for the afternoon. We loved sharing our Cupcake Minion with them and everyone can’t wait to catch the movie this summer!

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

In honor of the film, I’d love to show you how to create this cupcake minion for your party table!  Before we begin, I want to encourage you to make this as easy on yourself as possible! If you want to make this party treat REALLY fast, call your local bakery and ask for two dozen white cupcakes with the frosting on the side. This is what we did to save some time and our local grocer only charged $14.99. 

Supplies Needed

Two Dozen White Cupcakes

Frosting, tint half of it yellow and then other half blue (I recommend these Wilton food colorings to achieve this bold shade)

1 canning jar ring

Black licorice (if you aren’t a fan of black licorice, we tried a new chocolate Twizzler variety that worked perfectly)

1 Hershey Kiss

Scissors

Cookie Sheet

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

1. Tint over half your frosting in yellow and the other portion in blue. Set one cupcake aside for your eye.

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

2. Ice as I have shown here (15 Yellow, 4 Blue, 4 Half Yellow & Half Blue, 1 Left Without Icing!!). You can pipe the icing on, if you prefer a more polished look, or you can just spread the icing on with an icing spatula, as we have shown here.

3. Cut your black licorice up in random smaller pieces and apply to the top of your Minion head to create the hair.

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

4. Trim the top off of your cupcake to expose the white cake of your cupcake for the eye (pardon our picture, we decided to do that one last minute!). Make sure to not trim it too deep, so that your canning ring will fit around on the outside of it. Place your canning ring around the cupcake top to create your goggle.

5. Invert a Hershey Kiss into the center for your eye. Place the cupcake on top of your other cupcakes in the center. Finish by tucking two pieces of licorice underneath the eye to create the glasses. Trim the licorice to fit across the cupcakes on the end. Finish by bending your licorice into a smiley face! How easy was that?

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

MINIONS Backyard Bash & Easy Cupcake Minion Tutorial from MomAdvice.com #MinionsParty

We hope these ideas inspired you for a MINION’S Backyard Bash of your own! Remember to catch the film on July 10th! We can’t wait to hear what you think about it!

Get connected with the film!

Follow on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+

Like ‘MINIONS’ on Facebook

Visit the Official Site

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Check out the trailer below and enjoy a fun movie night out with the whole family this month! Yay!

*This post is sponsored by Universal Pictures. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site!

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DIY Outdoor Movie Night

Monday, June 29th, 2015

DIY Outdoor Movie Night - MomAdvice

 

 

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

 

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. Proceeds from this post were donated to Riverbend Cancer Services.  Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site and our community! 

Have you ever wanted to create your own DIY Outdoor Home Theater?

We have had this on our summer bucket list for years and this summer we decided to finally put together our very own DIY outdoor movie night together with our kids and are sharing it with you today!

There is something truly magical about watching a movie together under the stars and I love that you can do this right in the comfort of your very own backyard.

We partnered with Walmart to show you just how easy it is to host an outdoor movie night of your own.

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

Shopping List:  1) Clothespins 2)White Sheets (King or Queen Size) 3) Projector 4) Outdoor Pillows 5) Outdoor Lights 6) Popcorn Buckets

Now that you know what to buy, here are my tips for hosting your own diy outdoor movie night:

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

 An EASY DIY Set-Up

You don’t need a lot to create a great movie set up.

A simple white sheet (we like to double ours up to get the optimum picture)  and some clothespins are exactly what we used to create our set-up.

We simply draped our sheet on our clothesline out back and held it in place with a couple of clothespins.

Anchor the bottom of your sheet with rocks or a brick to hold the sheet in place, particularly on those windy days.

Although there are more expensive screen options that you can purchase, I have found that sheets don’t take up a lot of storage and offer a decent picture for the price.  Make sure to iron out those creases to avoid having ripples on this DIY screen- it’s worth the extra step!

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

Get a Great Picture (and Sound)

Your biggest investment in your outdoor movies will be your projector although Walmart does offer several affordable choices (check out this budget-friendly option for just $113.88)!

More than likely, you already have the laptop and with the addition of small external speakers, you will have incredible sound.

We have had our projector for years and take it with us on our trips as a back-up plan for rainy days and we use it at home regularly especially in the winter months.

We were always struggling with sound on ours and we had an ah-ha moment and realized that with the right cable, we could hook the sound up to our daughter’s mini guitar amp.

Now we have sound and we didn’t even have to make a speaker purchase.

This goes to show that you can really think out of the box on creating your own DIY theater for a great picture and sound for your movie night.

 

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

Create the Mood

With the humble beginnings of a sheet and some clothespins, I am all about creating a mood.

Consider stringing some outdoor lights up and around your movie screen to really create the movie magic for the night.

I have always found that twinkle lights take everything up a notch when outdoor entertaining and are less than $20 a strand. It’s an affordable luxury for really creating the mood!

Comfy seating keeps your guests in their seat longer (although running around the yard while the movie is playing is totally required!).  

Add some blankets to the ground and some comfy outdoor pillows (I love these from BHG at Walmart).  

Consider also gathering your patio furniture around to keep things cozy for the adults in the crowd!

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

Bring On the Snacks

You can’t watch the movie without POPCORN!

Take your popcorn game up a level and craft up a popcorn bar for your guests. Fill trifle containers with popcorn (don’t forget your scoopers!) and then fill ramekins with candy treats, marshmallows, and other fun mix-ins for you guests.

To make the treat more interactive (while you are waiting for it to get dark), you can have a table for decorating  paper bags with stamps, markers, and decorative scissors for cutting a pretty scalloped edge.

Have kids create their own popcorn bags and fill them with their favorite combination of treats.

For older guests, the party section of the store offers a variety of fun containers you can use for your snacks.

I am also a big fan of the reusable insulated solo cup for outdoor drinks and a perfectly sized popcorn bucket.

We found these in the outdoor section of our store.

For drinks, I am a BIG fan of using an inexpensive outdoor flower box for your soda drinks.

Isn’t this a fun way to bring drinks to the table?

Retro sodas and paper straws are always a hit with my kids.

Center this on your picnic table for easy grabbing!

 

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

v

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

Here is our movie screen once it was dark.

As you can see, even with a tiny projector, you have a pretty great picture on your sheet.

We found adjusting the bricks to pull out any wrinkling, made a dramatic difference in the projection of our show.

Our first movie night we caught, “Little Rascals!”  

The kids ran around like crazy, catching glimpses between games of hide and seek.

At the end of the night, it ended up just being me and my Dad, sitting side by side in two chairs, finishing out the show together.

We both agreed, that was pretty darn sweet.

There is certainly something so magical about an outdoor movie and we hope we have inspired you for a night of your own!

DIY Outdoor Movie Night from MomAdvice.com

Reservations to our movie theater are highly recommended.

We encourage you to dial our yellow phone to hold your seat!

We would like to say a big thank you to Mallory Dzierla Schoenle of Copycat-Design for sharing her talent with the Riverbend Cancer Services.

We purchased her beautiful donation of this handmade lemonade stand to help support the cause and transformed it into a popcorn stand for the evening festivities.

Mallory is a big giver in our community and as a DIY girl myself, I can see the labor of love that goes into each of her projects.

You can check out her Facebook page or her website for more information about her beautiful pieces! 

 

DIY Outdoor Movie Night - MomAdvice

For more fun summer activities, check out this page of great ideas! Have you ever hosted an outdoor movie night? Please share your tricks and tips here for a fun night with the family!

DIY Outdoor Movie Night - MomAdvice

 

 

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Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups (For Annie the Movie)

Tuesday, March 17th, 2015

Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups from MomAdvice.com

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site!

It’s no secret that this girl loves musical theater and one of the productions I did in high school was ANNIE.  It was one of my favorite movies growing up and Carol Burnett was someone I hoped to model a theater career after. To say that the musical is special to me would be an understatement.  I think it is important to admit that I had low expectations for the new ANNIE movie.

How could anything ever live up to the original?

Imagine my surprise that this movie was as charming as the first.   This movie really DID deliver, even for an original Annie-lover,  and in honor of the film’s DVD release today, I wanted to share a special treat you can share while watching the movie!

If you haven’t seen the film yet, it really does honor the classic songs that we all love, but adds its own unique spin often involving fun sound effects, hand clapping, and a more hip hop beat to the music. There are original pieces that are worked into the music that really flow seamlessly into the original music and the film has been updated with current themes, while embracing the sweetness and wholesomeness of the original ANNIE.

Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups from MomAdvice.com

In this film, Annie believes that she will be reunited with her parents,  at an Italian restaurant where they left a note on a receipt with the heart-shaped locket that any wears. Each Friday she visits the restaurant that serves the homemade cannoli that the couple shared on that night, waiting and hoping that they will finally come to retrieve her.  As she sits upon the curb, the owner comes out and tells her that they haven’t come and hands her a little to-go box of cannolis to take home. It is a ritual that is repeated in the movie and a truly sweet scene.

Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups from MomAdvice.com

Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups from MomAdvice.com

In honor of this moment in the film, I am sharing a fun recipe that you can make with a prepared pie crust and a homemade cannoli filling that is perfect to share while watching the film together.  This would also make an adorable treat for a birthday party or as a party favor in little to-go boxes tied with butcher twine.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Bowl of Pho today for providing the to-go box and note to make this pretty photo for my cannoli display.  If you are a local, it’s a must in our town to head there and get a bowl-as-big-as-your-head of chicken noodle soup.

Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups from MomAdvice.com

Walmart is sharing this adorable exclusive DVD set that comes with a mini plush Sandy that would be a perfect little Easter treat to share with your Annie-lover this year. The price on this set is $29.96. Wouldn’t this be the sweetest gift? Sandy even made it out of for show-and-share this week!

I hope you enjoy this sweet treat and can pick up this film! I guarantee that it is one that the whole family will love!

Mini Cannoli Cream Pastry Cups (For Annie the Movie)
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 48 servings
A sweet treat to share while watching Annie! These can be made gluten-free with a simple substitution of a gluten-free pie crust!
Ingredients
  • 1 container (15 oz) whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 box refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box (you can also substitute with gluten free pie crust)
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
  • Additional powdered sugar
Instructions
  1. In large bowl, beat all filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Place filling in 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag; refrigerate while making cups.
  2. Heat oven to 425°F. On lightly floured work surface, unroll pie crusts. Sprinkle each crust with turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Lightly roll rolling pin over sugar and cinnamon to press into pastry. With 2 1/2- to 3-inch round cutter, cut out pastry rounds. Lightly press each pastry round into ungreased mini muffin cup.
  3. Bake about 10 minutes or until pastry cups are golden brown. Cool completely in pans, about 15 minutes. Remove from muffin cups to cooling racks.
  4. Just before serving, remove filling from refrigerator. Cut 1 bottom corner off bag; pipe scant tablespoon filling into cooled pastry cups. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and powdered sugar. Serve immediately. Store any remaining pastry cups at room temperature and filling in refrigerator.
Source: Pillsbury
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Easter Surprise Peeps Cupcakes

Sunday, March 15th, 2015

Easter Surprise Peeps Cupcakes from MomAdvice.com

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. Thank you for supporting the companies that support this site!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays and I love crafting, decorating, and especially the eating for this holiday.  Longtime readers know that I have a love affair with Peeps that have included a wreath made out of Peeps and I have even found a way to make Peep Martinis that taste divine.  Let’s just continue the mad love affair with Peeps and make a hilarious Easter surprise cupcake for your kids!

Supplies:

1 box gluten-free cake yellow cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
1 cup assorted mini candy-coated chocolate candies, jimmies or confetti candy sprinkles
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup boiling water
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
3 unbeaten egg whites
12 Peeps (any color)
Melon Baller

Easter Surprise Peeps Cupcakes from MomAdvice.com

 

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin tins.

Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full). Bake as directed on box for cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Using melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake, about 1 inch deep. Fill each with 1 heaping teaspoonful candies.

Mix sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and egg whites in your stand mixer bowl. Add boiling water. Beat on high until the mixture forms peaks, which should be just about seven minutes. Spoon or pipe frosting on top of the cupcaks and finish with sprinkles and a Peep on top.

Easter Surprise Peeps Cupcakes from MomAdvice.com

Easter Surprise Peeps Cupcakes from MomAdvice.com

easter-surprise-peep-cupcakes-17

Don’t you hate it when your Peeps lay their eggs in your cupcakes? Ha! What a funny surprise for you kids and a fun food craft to do together as a family! I hope you love this idea and remember that you can pick up all the supplies at your local Walmart store! Happy Easter, everyone!

Easter Surprise Peeps Cupcakes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
A fun Easter surprise cupcake that you just so happens to be gluten-free. Fill it with your favorite egg candy and top with a marshmallow Peep!
Ingredients
  • 1 box gluten-free cake yellow cake mix
  • Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
  • 1 cup assorted mini candy-coated chocolate candies, jimmies or confetti candy sprinkles
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup boiling water
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3 unbeaten egg whites
  • 12 Peeps (any color)
  • Melon Baller
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin tins.
  2. Make cake batter as directed on box. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full). Bake as directed on box for cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  3. Using melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake, about 1 inch deep. Fill each with 1 heaping teaspoonful candies.
  4. Mix sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and egg whites in your stand mixer bowl. Add boiling water. Beat on high until the mixture forms peaks, which should be just about seven minutes. Spoon or pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes and finish with sprinkles and a Peep on top.
Recipe adapted from tablespoon
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How to Make a Watermelon Pirate Ship

Monday, December 1st, 2014

Watermelon Pirate Ship from MomAdvice.com

 

*This post is sponsored by Walmart

I have had my calendar booked forever for Peter Pan Live! ever since I heard it was the next live theater production to hit television.

Did you hear that it is coming to NBC on Thursday, December 4 at 8/7c? The cast includes several of my favorites like Allison Williams, Christopher Walken, Christian Borle and Minnie Driver.

In honor of the film, I have crafted up a watermelon boat that you can share with your kids for your family night together.

This fun food craft can be created together, adding your own personal pirate touches, or you can create it to surprise the kids for your family night.

Not many people know this, but I did theatre for many years and my favorite type of shows to do were musicals.

My love for this started in high school and I took a year off in between high school and college to do more shows.

In fact, I even did a show when I was pregnant with my son.  

Thankfully, it was of an era with empire waists and flowing Victorian clothing.

I miss it a lot and that is, perhaps, why I appreciate the opportunity to catch any production that I can.

I also appreciate any opportunity I can get to expose my children to the arts and it is why I put a big significance on this in our home.

Not everyone can afford a ticket to see a show and I love that this is an affordable way to enjoy the arts as a family.

Let’s create a fun pirate ship for your family night!

Watermelon Pirate Ship from MomAdvice.com

Supplies Needed

1 watermelon

1 pint blueberries

1 pint strawberries

1 pound grapes

1 sharp knife

cutting board

1 piece of cardstock

5 paper straws (I found these in the party supplies aisle)

1 hole punch

1 pair of scissors

How to Make a Watermelon Pirate Ship from MomAdvice.com.

 

Directions for Watermelon Pirate Ship

1. To help your boat sit upright, slice very thinly the end off of the bottom of the watermelon, making sure not to puncture your watermelon so it can act as a boat for your fruit.

2.  Slice the top half of your watermelon off. Set aside.

3. Using a melon baller, remove the meat of your watermelon. If you do not have a melon baller, you can score the watermelon into chunks and glide your knife all around watermelon to help create the shape of your chunks. Use a spoon to then scoop out the squares of melon. Ideally though, a melon baller makes quick work for your fruit salad.

4. Once the melon is completely hollowed out, slice your fruit and place it inside of your bowl, weaving in your watermelon, to create your fruit salad.

 

How to Make a Watermelon Pirate Ship from MomAdvice.com.

 

5. Now we can make our sails for our ship. Cut out five squares from a single piece of cardstock, any size you wish. I just cut out one square and used it as a template to create the rest of my sails. These do not have to be perfect, in fact, if they are imperfect they look like they are waving a bit in the breeze.

6. Using a hole punch, punch out a punch near the top of the square and then near the bottom to create a place for our straws to slide through. I stacked them all together and then punched them all at once so they would look more uniform.

7.  You will then need to cut your straws are varying sizes. I did one long straw, two medium, and then two short.  Slide the straw through making sure that the straw is peeking out of the back and not the front of that pretty white sail.

How to Make a Watermelon Pirate Ship from MomAdvice.com.

We hope you love this craft we created in honor of  Peter Pan Live! and we hope you can catch the show with us!  You can learn more about this amazing production here! We can’t wait and hope this idea inspires you for your family night together!

xo

 

Watermelon Fruit Salad Pirate Ship from MomAdvice.com

 

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Love watermelon? Check out this great recipes:

 

Watermelon Granita

Watermelon Granita

 

 

Watermelon Smoothies

Watermelon Coconut Lime Smoothies

 

 

Fruit Infused Water

Fruit Infused Waters

 

Mint Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad from MomAdvice.com

Watermelon Berry Fruit Salad

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Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland

Saturday, November 29th, 2014

Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

If there is one thing this girl loves it is a good yarn pom-pom project. I have created everything from pom-pom Christmas trees to bouquets of flowers for gift-giving. Today I’m partnering with Walmart to show you a fun winter craft you (or your little ones) can create for the holidays to decorate a window, mantel, or pretty up a ledge in your home. The best part is that it doesn’t cost a lot to create and can be used year after year!

Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

Supplies Needed

1 skein (or possibly two depending on your ledge size) Hometown USA Super Bulky Yarn in Los Angeles Tan ($2.97)

Package of 20 Mini Shatterproof Ornaments (in seasonal decor with the mini artificial trees) ($3.48)

Large Clover Pom-Pom Maker (use the blue one) ($6.61)

Scissors

Embroidery Needle

Scissors

Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com how-to-use-a-pom-pom-maker-4 Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

Yarn Pom Pom & Mini-Ornament Garland Directions

1. Prepare yarn pom-poms as I have shown you in the step-by-step photo tutorial or follow directions on packaging to create your pom poms. Keep making pom-poms making sure to leave enough yarn to string your pom-pom garland.

2. Once all of your pom poms are made, thread them with the embroidery needle onto your yarn. Take the embroidery needle off (the needle head is too large to feed through the mini-ornaments) and then alternate it with a mini-ornament. Keep doing this until you have filled the entire garland leaving a little on each end to hang down. I ended mine with an ornament since it ends the garland securely without knotting.

Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

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Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com
Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com
Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com
Yarn Pom-Pom & Ornament Garland from MomAdvice.com

Did you see that I got my first little fireplace? I decided to decorate it with this adorable garland. To tie it all together, I filled glass bowls ($1.97 each) with a package of mini ornaments ($3.48 each) and then stacked them on my little fake logs that I had bought for my fall decorating from the craft store. I found these adorable owls  for $4.98 in the seasonal decor and I love that I can leave these out even when it isn’t Christmas. This mini lighted tree was $9.98 and I finished her with a little pom-pom topper too. Since we took our painting down to decorate, I used the nails I had for hanging another shorter garland above the top to add a little interest to the wall.

This project took me about one hour and I look forward to enjoying it all Winter long and in the years to come.

I hope this frugal idea inspires you in your holiday decorating! Happy Holidays!

xo

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Back to School Organization Ideas

Thursday, September 18th, 2014

Back to School Organization Ideas from MomAdvice.com.

 

*This post is sponsored by the Post-it Brand. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It is such an honor to be working with the Post-it Brand for the back-to-school season.  I am so thrilled that you loved our DIY Homework Stations we created for our family and today I wanted to continue along that theme and share with you some additional ways that we keep our kids organized for back-to-school.

Since we live in a small home, organization is truly necessary to keep our small spaces functional.  I also am someone who prefers to not have a lot of visual clutter and appreciates smart hidden storage for our homework area rather than bulky caddies that can take up a lot of space since we don’t have a lot of storage space in our home. With that in mind, here are some of our ideas for organizing for back-to-school in a small space.

Back to School Organization Ideas from MomAdvice.com.

Designate a Small Area for Homework Organization- I recently created a bar cart for our shed bonus room and this cart has become the hub of this room for our back-to-school organization this year.  I purchased a chalkboard for tracking our to-do list, a small globe, and then stackable hollowed books for school supplies storage. This little area is efficient and has just what we need to stay organized.

A hub can be created in a corner of your own home, tucked away in a closet, or even just a designated drawer of supplies. The key isn’t how much space you have to organize, but just that the space is functional and that you always have on-hand what your child needs to complete their assignments.

Back to School Organization Ideas from MomAdvice.com.

Put Them in Charge- I can admit that I am a bit of a helicopter mom and it is hard for me to let my kids be in charge of their own tasks. This year I am really going to work on helping them to be more independent and make them be in charge of their own to-do lists and schedules.

Imagine if they went to college and wondered where their mother was to keep them on task.

This could get a little embarrassing.

I purchased this chalkboard and each child can jot down their own to-do list on Post-it Study Super Sticky Notes to attach to the chalkboard to remind themselves of the important tasks they need to accomplish for the week. I am loving the new Post-it Study Collection because it offers a fantastic new line of Notes, Notebook Kits, Flags, Tabs, and Page Markers that stick securely to papers, notebooks, folders, and more, yet remove cleanly. The products all work together to help your family stay organized on-the-go.  In this case with our Study Super Sticky Notes, once the task is accomplished, they can remove it from the board. As new tasks and assignments are added, they can create their own reminder list to attach to the chalkboard.  Each child gets their own color of Post-it Study Super Sticky Notes so that they know exactly whose task is whose, eliminating the need for two boards and creating a visual area for them of necessary items to accomplish.

Back to School Organization Ideas from MomAdvice.com.

Make Those School Supplies Part of Your Décor-  Pinterest has many ideas for creating storage caddies of homework supplies for your children which is great, but we don’t really have somewhere we can store it when those items are not being used. I happened upon these hollowed out books for storage at our craft store and realized that this was the perfect spot for camouflaging our homework helpers and adding visual interest to a room.

Inside the smallest book I stored crayons and glue sticks, the middle storage is for pencils and pens, and the largest book holds our Post-it Study collection homework helpers like Study Super Sticky Notes, Study Grid Notes, and Study Message Flags. This also houses our extra Post-it Super Sticky Notes for our chalkboard to-do list.

Back to School Organization Ideas from MomAdvice.com.

Back to School Organization Ideas from MomAdvice.com.

Cut Down the Distractions- The reason I love our bonus room for our homework area is that this area is screen-free and there is absolutely nothing in this room to distract them. I can be in the room with them to help them work through problems in a distraction-free environment.  The DIY Homework Stations we created for this room help each child to stay in their own zone and keep focused on their own list of tasks. Once everything has been completed, the kids can exit the space and head off to their technology-filled lives.

I really hope you enjoyed this fun series on back-to-school organization that I created with the Post-it Brand. Thanks to this job, I feel more confident than ever that we will have a successful and truly organized school year! To purchase some fun Post-it Brand items of your own, you will find that they are available at office superstores and mass merchandise retailers nationwide!

 

This post is sponsored by the Post-it Brand. I’ve received product samples and compensation for my time and effort in creating this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

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