2012 4th of July Card

What can you do with these items that you most likely have in your Craft room or craft closet.

Need :
Red, White, and Blue tempera, finger paint, or paint you like
Popsicle sticks and white flat bottom gems
blue and black ink pads
Elmer's glue or the glue of your choice
stamp that you prefer or hand write you sentiment

Make this 4th of July card.

 First pain the child's hand as the picture on the left shows. I am trying to use up some big bottles (16oz) of miscellaneous paints that I have. I don't prefer these ones the colors are sloppyish so I cant wait to be done with them and try out some new paint.  The brands we currently have are ArtMinds and RichArt.

Mass Production.

Miss Alivia watching Lexi Girl and Mommy do this project. Shes playing with old baby food containers and the paint bottles.

 I was looking for my staz on ink but couldn't find it because my craft room kinda looks like Lexi girls room when we don't keep it tidy. (FYI I cleaned my craft room up that night while Lexi girl played play doh and watched good old fashion Disney VHS tapes.

I use Studio G ink in black and blue. I cant believe of all the stamps I have that I don't have a Happy 4th of July. So I took the Happy Birthday stamp and used masking taped and masked off the Birthday part of it.

Then I broke some of the Popsicle stick off because it was too long. We added a white gem for the top of the flag pole. We used good old fashion Elmer's glue. Lexi girl did glue drops for the gem and I made a line of glue for her so she could add the stick.









From my last years 4th of July card you can see we used brown paint for the stick and a brown gem for the top of the flake pole. We also used silver star stickers for the stars of the flag. I wanted to include different textures this time so we used the Popsicle stick and the star gems from my stash.

I believe if you want to mail this it will take 2 stamps because of the weight but you can take it to the post office and get it weighed to see exactly. Most times I just stick 2 forever stamps on top because I don't have time to stand in line with a 3.5 year old and a almost 8 month old.

The inside of the card says From Our Family To Yours and I let Lexi girl use the star stamp to stamp a few stars inside. I also have matching 4th of July outfits for the girls to wear.. I will be taking a picture of them with the outfits on and sending that to family along with the cards.

Miss Alivia nd Lexi Girl

Snack Taxi

You may have seen my post earlier in April regarding the Itzy-ritzy reusable snack bags but just recently I had a coupon for $30 off a $50 purchase at Mighty Nest.  As I was browsing there website I ordered some reusable snack bags from Snack Taxi along with a few other things that I will post later. The Snack Taxi bags came in two sixes : a snack bag and a sand which bag, I ordered 2 of each.  I got a set for USAF lunches and a set for Lexi Girl or myself.

The PRINT is fantastic and the COLORS are just as AMAZING.  The stitching is also very good. It also came with a coaster in each bag with helpful tips and hints. Lexi called them gold dablums (jake and the never land pirates) and she is currently playing with them.

 The skater can be for a pre-teen, teen, or Dad.

The flower can be for my 3.5 year old or Me.

I should have taken a picture of the inside.

Close up of the label.

 This is the info it gave.

There Machine or hand washable.

Free of lead, phthalates(whatever that is), and BPA.

And tells about the environment.








We use the Itzy-Ritzy bags and I will add to each post a picture of when they are filled and how they look from the inside.

Spaghetti

How to Upbeat you Spaghetti sauce using things you already have in your kitchen.

I cant believe that in South Dakota at the end of May I was still able to cook spaghetti in my kitchen.  We live in a older style home that doesn't have central air so it tends to get a bit hot in the summer.  May was a much cooler month so the FAHNESTOCKS took advantage and kept cooking tell Now (June) its finally been staying in the mid 80's.

I have recently been getting bored cooking the same old things every week to every other week. We have our family favorites but I've been trying to JAZZ them up a little.

So with out recent May spaghetti night I decided to add a few extra things into the cheap store bought sauce.

I used up the last of my frozen onions and sauteed them with some chopped baby carrots, I then added some minced garlic and celery salt.  Removed from pan after about 10 minutes or so. Fried up my turkey meat put the sauteed veggies in and added the sauce and some parsley.

I let it simmer while my noodles cooked.

The Finished Product!

Lexi enjoyed it and said LOOK carrots.  Yes my carrots still had a bite to them and that was OK. it was something different and using stuff up from my fridge/freezer.

I also tried a new style spaghetti noodle.  I just don't remember what it was.   I know it was made with Veggies and USAF didn't even notice or complain so it must have been good.

Strawberry Dessert!

                              Strawberry Cream Dessert

 Those are the ingredients you will need!

You can make it into one container but my family doesn't like to share SO.

 We make individual containers.

 This is the end product. You can layer which ever way YOU like.

 Lexi girls finished bowl, she made entirely herself.

"The best part mom, CREAM"

                               The GOODS

1. Vanilla wafers or whatever cookie you like.
2. Whipped cream
3. Sliced strawberry's, as little or as much as you want
4. Strawberry cream instant pudding

Hungry Catapillar

Today Lexi Girl had a friend came over and right now Lexi loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.

I set up 2 projects for the girls and I took pictures of Lexi Girls finished project.

This is the first page of the book.        

It reads :

In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf.

Theres dark blue construction paper, brown and green as well.
I cut a leaf from my Cricut machine in green as well.
Theres also safety scissors and Elmer's glue.
A blue crayon for the moons face, also a cupcake liner for the moons body. A white sparkly pomp pomp for the egg and a glue dot to attatch it because its just easier with the glue dot.

The is the second page of the book.


It reads :



One Sunday morning the warm sun came up and - pop! - out of the egg came a tiny and very hungry caterpillar.


I set out white paper, sand paper and yellow paper. Also cut some color full strips for the sun rays, and red crayon for the face. Glue and scissors. Punched out green papers for the body. A jar and red paint with paint brush. Google eyes, buttons, and pomp pomp's to choose for their eyes.  

Lexi Girls Finished First Page

Lexi Girls Finished Second Page

Our friend had to go home before we could continue, Shell be back tomorrow morning so we should finish the story or at least a couple more pages.

Tasty Apple Salad!

Ingredient's
Marshmallow's
Apples
Grapes
Whip Cream
Cinnamon

Add an equal amount of ingredients, cinnamon to tasted, I add extra apple because its my favorite. Its better to let it set overnight but at least 1 hour in fridge so the marshmallow's can get soft from the whipped cream.

 All the ingredient's

Layer of marshmallow's and peal and cut 2 apples (or more if you want)

 Grapes cut in half

 Lexi girl sprinkling the cinnamon

 lovely big mound of whip cream

Finished product

Mommy Its Hot OUT!

So I asked Lexi girl if she would like to Paint outside on the porch?  She said mommy we cant paint the porch, paint belongs on paper.  I told her i can make out door paint and then she said OK lets do it mommy!

Here's what you need!

Muffin tin or small containers (I used Miss Alivia's 2nd food baby containers, I have been saving them)
Paint brushes (the bigger the better, Dollar store had 3 different sizes for a dollar and you cant beat that)
Cornstarch
Water
Food coloring

I used 1 1/2 cups cornstarch and 1 1/2 cups water. The ratio can be changed just use equal cornstarch to water.  We measure 1/4 cup of water into each container and Lexi girl poured the water back into a bowl. I measure out the cornstarch and added it to the water. It was VERY thick and took a little to whisk it up. I put the cornstarch water mixture into a pitcher (easier to pour back into the containers). Lexi girl measure/squirted the food coloring into the containers and we mixed. Then go outside and have fun. But be sure to have a clean porch first. I had to do a quick porch sweep first.

 The set up. Those are the paint brushed I got at the dollar store.

 Lexi girl pouring water back into the mixing bow. Now i know how much water we will need next time.

 Mixing up the cornstarch and water and boy it was thick, it did get easier to mix.

 Poured into a glass measuring cup so that it would be easier to pour back into the containers.

 The tray below is just an old oven tray I don't really care about. Designated Lexi girl craft tray.

 Mixing and Squeezing.

 Dirty deck, I had to sweep up real quick and Lexi girl picked up her toys too.

 Really cool mom.

 Really wet and almost dry.

 I now know you need extra yellow coloring, it didn't turn out so bright like the other colors.

 Theres Lexi girl.

 Again yellow needs more coloring. but they dried like side walk chalk.

 Lexi girl taking a drink break.

So to recap. I know for brighter colors use more food coloring. Especially the YELLOW. Your hands turn colors but hey its food coloring. The paint does get thick at the bottom of the containers so you need to stir if you let it set for a bit.

This was a fun new experience for Lexi girl and me.