tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79115771044151921842024-02-06T19:19:46.421-08:00Housewife on FireThe mad ramblings of a staunch anti-feminist living in a modern world.Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-50490086987163848382012-10-19T23:13:00.000-07:002012-10-19T23:20:49.666-07:00Free "Pumpkin Poop" Printable!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=PumpkinPoop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/PumpkinPoop.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I loved the "Pumpkin Poop" concept that's been floating around the pinterest world this season, but wanted to create my own label...and so I did! And now I'm excited to share it with you! You can upload the printable by clicking directly on the picture {this will take you to photobucket} and then uploading it from there. It is in JPEG format. THEN, you'll just need to pull the JPEG file into a Word doc. and print.<br />
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I'm wanting to learn how to put pdf files on here...but alas, I don't know how just yet! So, if you'd like this in a pdf format, simply send an email to ldugovic@yahoo.com and put "PRINTABLE" in the subject line, and I will attach it and send it your way!<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
<br />
Xoxo,<br />
Laura
Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-8433701962843032632012-07-12T14:07:00.000-07:002012-07-12T14:07:08.293-07:00Home Remedy?So, I had a little extra time on my hands the other day and I thought, why not get in some desperately needed pampering. So, I turned to Pinterest to find a home remedy to try. Feeling pretty daring, I decided to tackle the age old nuisance, stretch marks, and this is what I found.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PP20gUp6aic/T-ifgiWk_LI/AAAAAAAAC7c/jPRvMTyJYfU/s1600/Coffee_Grounds.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_uid_ozgg0t="4" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PP20gUp6aic/T-ifgiWk_LI/AAAAAAAAC7c/jPRvMTyJYfU/s320/Coffee_Grounds.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><b>Coffee Grinds </b></span><br />
Take coffee grinds with olive oil, and make into a paste. Massage well into the area with stretch marks for about 5 minutes. Then take a hot towel, and wrap it around the area for about 20-25 minutes. Remove and wash off with warm water. Also, when you are finished, apply a moisturizer to the area. The olive oil with the caffeine in the grinds, will help stimulate the area to remove the stretch marks. If you do this 1-3 times a week, you will start to notice a difference within 2 weeks!<br />
<br />
<br />
I was on a mission. Not only was I going to succeed, but I was ready to give those stretch marks the send off they deserved. I made the paste and started to apply the "magical concoction. (mistake #1 applying over floors you just cleaned earlier that day. Talk about a mess!) And if you don't mind your spouse or significant other knocking on the door, questioning what you're doing and why the house is drenched in the smell of coffee, than you'll do just fine on this part.<br />
<br />
Getting back to the horrible mess part... I decided it would be best to wrap up in Saran Wrap to keep the grinds from falling everywhere. K- next step, hot towel. (mistake #2 heating a towel in the microwave... FYI, after about a minute, it will start on fire.) <br />
<br />
Moving on... I put what was left of my smoking (literally) hot towel around me and then covered up with a robe. (Mistake #3- multitasking. Let me say, not a good idea trying to get other things done while waiting the 20-25 minutes. <br />
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Now it's finally time to take the stuff off! Here would be the perfect place for mistake #4, but I guess it was my lucky day so instead, I give a warning. Coffee grinds mixed with olive oil in bath tub makes for a potentially dangerous situation (and did I say the stuff was messy?)<br />
<br />
So besides leaving a coffee grind trail through the house, nearly starting a fire in the microwave and getting the classic one eyebrow raise from the hubz when I finally confess what I was trying to accomplish, I would say chances of repeating this process are about %12. <br />
<br />
At this time I would recommend going back to your miracle creams or find another "remedy." If you have have any suggestions on how to do it better or a remedy you want me to try, drop me a comment! I apologize for no pics of this lovely exchange with coffee grinds, but trust me.... it's better this way!Jennifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376298787782035050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-84709356429219785582012-06-25T13:53:00.000-07:002012-07-12T14:06:06.808-07:0050 Things for your Summer Bucket ListSummer is here! The smells of BBQs and fresh cut grass, mountains, chlorine and sunscreen perforate the air. The sounds of children laughing and the oh-so-popular "Mommy, I'm bored." Well, don't worry. We've put together a list of 50 things that will cost you next to nothing. Last year we introduced the <a href="http://housewifeonfirewrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/summer-bucket-list.html" target="_blank">Summer Bucket List</a> so here's more things to add to your summer of fun!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/Bear%20Lake%202011/?action=view&current=IMG_3952.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/Bear%20Lake%202011/IMG_3952.jpg" width="424" /></a>
</div>
Run through the sprinklers Drive the Alpine Loop/scenic drive<br />
Blow bubbles Slip 'n' Slide<br />
Roast marshmellows (at home or in the mountains) Make a movie<br />
Have a picnic Scavenger hunt<br />
Play in the park Finger paint with pudding<br />
Camp out in the back yard Make a card/send to Grandparent<br />
Play a card game Hide and seek/Sardines<br />
Paint a picture Nature walk/make artwork from what you find<br />
Play restaraunt w/playdough Homemade pizza party<br />
Water balloon fight Play dress up/break out Halloween costumes<br />
Decorate bikes/have a parade Go on a treasure hunt<br />
Go for a hike Ride sleeping bags down the stairs<br />
Plant a garden Nerf war<br />
Go to the library Go to grandma's/grandpa's house <br />
Make an obstacle course Hike to a waterfall<br />
Make paperbag/sock puppets/put on a play Bake cookies<br />
Fly a kite Play with shaving cream/make sculptures<br />
Watch a movie outside at night Wash the car<br />
Feed the ducks Make a fort<br />
Play night games Make<a href="http://housewifeonfirewrites.blogspot.com/2012/03/pebble-pets.html" target="_blank"> bugs</a> out of rocks and pipe cleaners<br />
Make snow cones Stargazing<br />
Ride bikes Watch fireworks<br />
Play frisbee golf Play volleyball w/balloons<br />
Go rollerblading/skateboarding Ride Trax/Frontrunner<br />
Go to a parade Play at the lake<br />
<br />
And as an added BONUS, here's a<a href="http://thecraftingchicks.com/2011/06/summer-fun-chart-kirsten-edition.html" target="_blank"> link</a> that you can download for a fun template to make a list of your own!<br />
<br />Enjoy!Jennifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376298787782035050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-85157164670671177572012-04-05T19:54:00.001-07:002012-04-06T14:26:53.768-07:00Home Made Easter BasketsSo for the last installment of the Easter posts we're going retro. That's right. I'm bringing back an Easter element from my childhood. Now I don't think it's necessary to say we're going "WAY back." In fact, I think by saying we're taking a look "back" does the job without having it sound like I mingled with dinosaurs. So, brace yourself for a glimpse of Easter past..... Now just in case the multi-colored shag carpet and footed pj's with the feet cut out because we grew like weeds doesn't give it away, I'm simply going to say it was the 80's. Here's me and my little brother (for embarrassment reasons I won't give out his name, but will continue to hold it over his head for blackmail purposes). I had this particular Easter basket until I was married and sadly one day after moving, discovered it had been crushed and was beyond repair. Nearly a decade has passed and I've seen these coming back out, so you can imagine my excitement. So, I gave it a try!<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5642.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5642.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<h3>Ingredients:</h3>Mod Podge<br />
Crochet Thread<br />
Balloons<br />
Lace (or other trim for the border)<br />
Ribbon (optional)<br />
<br />
I've heard of using liquid starch for making the baskets but I searched high and low and couldn't find any so I turned to the old reliable Mod Podge. Low and behold, it didn't let me down. I simply used 1 part Mod Podge, 1 part water for the gluey substance. <br />
<br />
Blow up a balloon to whatever size you want your egg. You can either roll your balloon in the glue mixture and start wrapping or just throw the roll right in to soak it up and then start wrapping. There really is no wrong way to do it. You can use anywhere from a half a roll of thread to the entire thing, depending on the size and how you want your egg to look. Warning: It's messy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5617.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5617.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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When you're done wrapping the balloons, stand them up on cups. It helps if you've got something down for them to drip on. It usually takes about a good 24 hours to dry. Then, just pop your balloon and you've got your egg!<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5619.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5619.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Now, cut a hole for your opening and the last thing you need is lace or some sort of border to seal off the raggedy edges. I used a glue gun to secure it on. Top it off with ribbon and your ready to fill it!<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5628.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5628.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Just a few filling ideas.... we have the classic basket with all the junk food you desire. Another fun twist to the basket is to fill it and give it away as a gift.<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5630.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5630.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Here is the "healthy" basket.<br />
This particular basket is loaded with craisins, apples w/carmel dip, yogurt drink, string cheese, yogurt covered raisins, orange, goldfish crackers, flavored milk straws, low sodium microwave pop corn. <br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5634.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5634.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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This is an example of a toy basket. Just make a quick trip to the dollar store and you'll find plenty of fillers that will keep your kiddo entertained for days without the sugar hangover.<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5635.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5635.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
These were such a blast to make and create. I was surprised at how cute my baskets turned out since I wasn't born with a single crafting bone in my body. The variations of baskets are endless!<br />
<br />
Easter Segment on 2News This Morning<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DvQZ50SpMQ4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Jennifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376298787782035050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-27399407376243015942012-04-03T21:04:00.001-07:002012-04-03T21:05:06.910-07:00easter nests.<div style="text-align: center;">We made these <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">SIMPLE</span> Easter Nests last year and man were they fun {not to mention effortlessly pretty - yay!}. Go<a href="http://housewifeonfirewrites.blogspot.com/2011/04/easter-nests.html"> <span style="color: cyan; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="color: cyan; font-size: large;"> </span>for the full post with more pics, and fun takes with white chocolate, pretzels, crunchy chow mein noodles, and peanut butter! </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1670962.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1670962.jpg" /></a></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-60078366313058214632012-04-02T16:27:00.002-07:002012-04-02T16:28:34.520-07:00Easter Fun!!Easter is less than a week away can you believe it? In case you were wondering how you can make this last week more Easter-y, here's a few, fun and festive ideas to put some hop into your day.... (I know, super cheesy, but just wait 'till you see what I've got).<br />
<br />
K- so first, let's start with the kiddo's lunches. Pack whatever treats or their whole lunch into Easter eggs. The bigger the eggs, the more treats you can cram in there.... or pre-pack them and let the kids have at it for after school snacks. These are also some really great and healthy ideas for the Easter Bunny to throw into the baskets so your kids aren't running around on a sugar high for hours.<br />
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<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5598.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="426" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5598.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5600.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="456" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5600.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Another treat for kids, whether it be for snacks or baskets, is make your own carrot snack bags. I just took sandwich baggies, threw some goldfish (or whatever orange snack you have) and tied a green ribbon at the top..... ta da!!! <br />
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Fun AND cute!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5605.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="457" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5605.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
So, one last idea to throw out there for today... plant some jelly beans... no really. Start today so you're bean will bloom in time for Easter.<br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5608.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="457" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5608.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
You can take any old pot, fill it with whatever dirt you can find. Give it some sunshine (no watering required), wait a few days and.....<br />
<br />
Viola! Eat your heart out Willy Wonka!<br />
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<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5612.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="456" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5612.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Check back in soon, we've got some more great ideas for Easter coming up over the next few days.Jennifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376298787782035050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-72563138481044048012012-03-13T22:15:00.002-07:002012-04-05T05:48:44.479-07:00st. patrick's day fun with the kidsHave you ever totally forgotten that it was St. Patrick's Day and had your kid come home in tears because he got pinched and teased, and he was also just crushed because he felt like he missed out on all the greenish fun?<br />
<br />
Oh...you haven't...?<br />
Yeah, me either...<br />
I mean of course I would never let something like THAT happen,<br />
I was just wondering if, um, you ever did, and stuff...<br />
Not that I would judge you if you had or anything... <br />
Moving on.<br />
<br />
I've found that making a "big deal" out of St. Patrick's Day helps keep it fresh in my mind, and I am more likely to remember to send my munchkin out for the day in some serious greens. <br />
<br />
I am LOVING all of the amazing pinterest ideas out there and I am going to share and rate them for you here!<br />
<br />
The first {and probably my favorite} one?<br />
RAINBOW PANCAKES<br />
Oh my.<br />
Inspiration <a href="http://iambaker.net/category/i-am-mommy" style="color: lime;">here.</a><br />
My end result? <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1770356.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1770356.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Woo-hoo!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">*****</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">{</span>a.k.a. FIVE stars for this pinterest project.<span style="font-size: x-large;">}</span> </div><br />
If this little lady {ahem, me}who has tried - almost successfully...TWICE - to burn down her kitchen can make these in one attempt...then this project deserved every last star I awarded it. It was really fun to do, and such a delightful departure from the green eggs that made me oh so gaggy last St. Patty's Day.<br />
<br />
HINT: For best results, use a non-stick griddle on LOW heat. I usually cook my pancakes at 350 degrees, but that browns the entire sides of the pancakes, and it dims and ickies the colored ones, so I cooked them at 200 degrees and that was perfect. They took about a minute and a half on the first side to get firm enough to flip, but the gorgeous, vibrant colors stayed fully intact. Score!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1770348.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1770348.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1770347.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1770347.jpg" /></a><br />
And for mamas on the go, another really darling way to make your kiddos feel special first thing in the morning is a newly packaged serving of Lucky Charms.<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1770360.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1770360.jpg" /></a><br />
Inspiration for the cereal idea<a href="http://craftin-on-my-door.blogspot.com/2011/03/so-lucky-to-have-you.html"> <span style="color: lime;">here.</span></a><br />
<br />
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I loved this idea, but <b>didn't</b> want to get <b>quite so crafty</b> with it, and that is where none other than Utah's own <a href="http://thecraftingchicks.com/2011/02/little-gifts-for-st-patricks-day-free-downloads.html" style="color: lime;">"The Crafting Chicks"</a> stepped in and saved the day. {Oh the irony...just when I don't want to be too crafty, some cute lil' crafting chicks help me to...not be so crafty.}<br />
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They shared utterly fantastic St. Patrick's Day printables {they're free, btw} on their blog last year, and thanks to pinterest, I found, and have gotten a ton of use out of them for <b>this </b>year. Blogs are gifts that just keep on a-givin'. <br />
<br />
For The Crafting Chicks' AWESOME printables, go <a href="http://thecraftingchicks.com/2011/02/little-gifts-for-st-patricks-day-free-downloads.html" style="color: lime;">here.</a><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">*****</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">{</span>a.k.a. FIVE stars for this pinterest project.<span style="font-size: x-large;">}</span> </div><br />
All in all, it was simple, and my kids will LOVE getting a naughty, sugary cereal on Friday...plus a love note from mom letting them know how much they mean to me. <br />
<br />
And for my last trick...<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1770362.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1770362.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">*****</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">{</span>a.k.a. FIVE stars for this pinterest project.<span style="font-size: x-large;">}</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Kay, so I am only giving four stars to this pinterest project, because my project turned out reasonably uglier than the one I originally found. This isn't her fault, but the rating is based on how well at basic-level {and even a little spacey...maybe?} mama can execute the project.The idea is WONDERFUL though, and I plan on sending these to all of my son's teachers and the secretaries who run his school's office...mostly as a kiss up bribe in hopes that they'll let him keep coming to their school despite his general spaz-i-ness. {He gets it honestly, folks, my genetics are NUTS... the least I can do is bribe a few teachers on his behalf}.<br />
<br />
I also Rolos instead of gold coins, which doesn't look as cute, but tastes OH so much better than those icky chocolate coins! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Inspiration <a href="http://www.createmyevent.com/2011/03/st-patricks-day-party-fun.html" style="color: lime;">here.</a></div></div><br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">2News This Morning Segment</h3><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gp8a91PnSwA" width="560"></iframe>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-67781216314779727592012-03-13T19:40:00.000-07:002012-03-13T19:40:01.711-07:00leprechaun trap.<div style="text-align: center;">With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time of year to try and catch a leprechaun! So we took on the challenge and put together a sophisticated trap...... OK, not really. We used the oldest trap in the book. The classic box (bucket, laundry basket or whatever container you have handy) and a stick. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5570.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5570.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">Of course the most important part of any trap is the bait! So we used what's been widely known to attract a leprechaun..... Lucky Charms. We also added fake gold coins and colored and pieced together a paper Leprechaun so it would fool our green guest that it was safe.... all of this made for quite the deadly combination.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5581.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5581.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Well, we definitely had a leprechaun in the house but he escaped! He ran wild throughout the house, messed with the furniture (strong little bugger!) leaving behind him a path of destruction.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5588.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="425" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5588.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
He got into the fridge and made a green mess.... and yup... he even turned the milk and eggs green.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5594.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="640" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5594.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
He left green treats, complete with Irish Ale...or what we call, Cream Soda. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/?action=view&current=IMG_5585.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="425" src="http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w420/Jennmichaelson/iFAMILY/IMG_5585.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
He may have gotten the better of us this time around, but that little guy better watch out because we've already started scheming for next year!</div>Jennifferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00376298787782035050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-17957443593019424252012-03-03T22:27:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:27:08.794-08:00Fun Food for Kids on Channel 2 News<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Pqa0XY5IiLM" width="560"></iframe></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-55259652357155126742012-03-03T22:25:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:25:08.446-08:00Fun Food for Kids.<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Fruit Cars:</span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=IMG_5491.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/IMG_5491.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=IMG_5495.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/IMG_5495.jpg" /></a><br />
Simply slice apples and oranges, then use toothpicks or skewers to attach grapes for wheels!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Hot Dog Hybrids: </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=IMG_5498.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/IMG_5498.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Skewer sliced hot dogs with uncooked spaghetti, then boil...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=IMG_5505.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/IMG_5505.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">and serve!</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Dino-scapes:</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=IMG_5510.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/IMG_5510.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Use mashed potatoes as your "dirt," then add dino chicken nuggets, broccoli and cauliflower trees, and even a nice cool wading pool {ranch dip with blue food coloring} for dipping. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Bird's Nest:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=IMG_5515.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/IMG_5515.jpg" /></a></div>Spruce up spaghetti by shaping it into a nest with bird meatballs. To add extra nutrients, put them on beds of spinach to act as the leaves on a tree!Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-54195533620322982732012-03-03T22:24:00.002-08:002012-03-03T22:24:07.362-08:00Garden Fun on Fresh Living<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/v6Rv69M04bQ?hl=en&fs=1" width="425"></iframe></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-49769739297895198212012-03-03T22:23:00.002-08:002012-03-03T22:23:40.184-08:00Name Garden<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Your kids will love</span> seeing their names grow out of of thin air {or thick dirt} with this fun project. Just follow these simple steps:<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">1.</span> Fill a tray or cookie sheet with a layer of garden soil.<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">2.</span> Have your child trace their name in the soil and then fill the letter-shaped trenches with grass seeds.<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">3.</span> Cover lightly {careful not to distort the design} and water very often {soil should never ever dry out}.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">4.</span></span>Watch your child's excitement peak as they see their very own name growing out of the soil. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700572.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700572.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700575.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700575.jpg" /></a></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-34260590591799643262012-03-03T22:21:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:21:26.801-08:00Pebble Pets<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700558.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700558.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Rocks, paints, glue, googly eyes, and some pipe cleaner make for some serious garden-y fun! Let kids make their own pebble pets to decorate the family garden.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700570.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700570.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700554.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700554.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700553.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700553.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700562.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700562.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you want to bump up the <span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">crafting intensity</span>, try this fun {and more labor-intensive} tutorial to make colorful wax wings for pebble butterflies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">First:</span> Grab a box of old {or new} crayons. Peel the wrappers off, and grate them into colorful piles on a sheet of wax paper. This part is fun for kids in and of itself.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700408.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700408.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700405.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700405.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700415.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700415.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700425.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700425.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700410.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700410.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700398.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700398.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Second:</span>dig into those colorful piles and drop shavings into fun designs on a clean sheet of wax paper.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700426.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700426.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700427.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700427.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700434.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700434.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700435.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700435.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700436.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700436.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Third:</span> cover with a second sheet of wax paper.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700438.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700438.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700440.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700440.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Fourth:</span>take a warm iron to it. {Set the iron to medium-low heat. Mine was set on really high, and it burned some of the colors, and to be honest... that was kind of devastating ;). }</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700455.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700455.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700444.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700444.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700450.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700450.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Fifth:</span> Let your masterpiece cool, and then cut the wax sheet into wing shapes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700457.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700457.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700463.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700463.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700464.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700464.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Finally: take a slender rock and glue the wings to it.</div><div style="text-align: center;">* I tried this with hot glue first, and it totally didn't work because the hot glue melts the wax. {um, yeah.} So use a cold glue like Elmer's {it takes forever to dry, but it works}.</div><div style="text-align: center;">*Hot glue gems and antennae to the rock body, and voila! You have a beeeautiful pebble butterfly.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1700543.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1700543.jpg" /></a></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-80724363571899073382012-03-03T22:19:00.002-08:002012-03-03T22:19:51.908-08:00Paper Garden<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690792.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690792.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have some dirt-free garden fun with your kids by making a fun paper garden!</span></div><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">1.</span> Let each child decorate their own flower pots {paper cups} and then fill their "pots" with beans or rice. <br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">2.</span>Then, simply cut out lots of different colorful shapes and petals with different colors and prints of craft paper and let the kids use glue sticks to create flowers and bugs for their paper gardens.<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">3.</span> Finally, attach Popsicle or craft sticks to the bottoms and "plant" them in the bean-filled pots.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690750.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690750.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690760.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690760.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690757.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690757.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690753.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690753.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690747.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690747.jpg" /></a></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-26760855968250077212012-03-03T22:18:00.002-08:002012-03-03T22:18:51.008-08:00Dino fun with the kids.<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: x-large;">Themed play-dates </span>are a great way to add a little structured {and hey, maybe even educational} fun to your summer days! With a few simple items you have right around the house, you can turn your kitchen, dining room, and back yard into a prehistoric wonderland.<br />
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<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dinosaur Eggs:</span></div>This fun and simple project gives you a reason to dye eggs that have nothing to do with a fuzzy white bunny.Trust us, your kids will love this one!<br />
1. Hard boil some eggs.<br />
2. Bang them up and make them crackle-y all over, but DON'T peel them.<br />
3. Mix up egg dye using food coloring and vinegar {Follow the instructions on the back of the food coloring box.}<br />
4. Put the crackled eggs into the dye and let sit for a few minutes.<br />
5. Take them out, peel, and enjoy! They are perfect for your dinosaur theme, and are a healthy snack to boot! <br />
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<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690719.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690719.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690722.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690722.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690727.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690727.jpg" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Fossils:</span></div>To make your fossils, you're gonna need some Play-dough. It's totally fine to use store bought "Play-Doh" but if you wanna get your cheap on, feel free to mix some up with a few simple ingredients.<br />
We have a fantastic home made <a href="http://housewifeonfirewrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/fantastic-play-dough-recipe.html"><span style="color: cyan;">play-dough recipe here. </span></a><br />
<span style="color: cyan;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: cyan;"><span style="color: black;">Once you've got your play-dough situation figured out, make little balls, smash them down into pancake-y patties, and then let the kiddos mush dollar store dinosaurs into them.</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690764.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690764.jpg" /></a><br />
They can also smash larger-sized dino feet into them. <br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690736.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690736.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690739.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690739.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690741.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="239" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690741.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690744.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690744.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690742.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690742.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690743.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="240" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690743.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Put the "fossils" on a baking sheet and bake them at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Take them out and let 'em cool. They will look something like this:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690768.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="480" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690768.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1690775.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1690775.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Now that you've had fun MAKING the dinosaurs, the kids can enjoy playing with them too! Take all of your fossils and bury them in your sand box and let the kids excavate with paintbrushes/toothbrushes/whatever you have handy and see how many fossils they can dig up.<br />
<br />
If you don't have a sand box, one variation is to hide the fossils and/or the dollar store dinos all over your house/yard and let the kids go find them. Let everyone take a bag-ful of dino-goodies home with them.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Other Activities:</span></div>1. Learn all about dinosaurs, or read fun and funny dinosaur themed books together.<br />
2. Have smaller children act like dinosaurs. What do the meat-eaters act like? What about herbivores?<br />
3. Watch a dinosaur movie.<br />
4. Make and decorate a volcano cake together.Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-31960694240161095902012-03-03T22:17:00.002-08:002012-03-03T22:17:43.738-08:00Squishy Fishy featured on Fresh Living.<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/htfIDyS2sI0" width="640"></iframe></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-58941181608011646642012-03-03T22:17:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:17:04.473-08:00Squishy FishyLooking for a simple summer project to do with the kids? Well, we have a project that you can make using ONLY items found right in your home!<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Introducing:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Squishy Fishy!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">{Translation: a no-sew bean bag... that is much cuter/quirkier than a bean bag.}</div><br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690400.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690400.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
To get started, you'll need:<br />
Socks {new or used}<br />
Rice <br />
OR <br />
Dried beans <br />
OR<br />
Pea sized gravel<br />
...and that's it! <br />
<br />
We'll make a few decoration suggestions as we go, and you can pick and choose projects based on what other supplies you may or may not have.<br />
<br />
The most important thing is to have fun with your kids! At the end of this post, we have a few easy suggestions for games you can play with your squishy fishy bean bags.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690415.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690415.jpg" /></a><br />
Simply fill a sock with your filler of choice, tie the end off into a little tail {cut off the excess if it's a tube sock} and voila! You have yourself a bare-bones squishy fishy. Now, if you want to give it a little flair... read on!<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690440.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690440.jpg" /></a><br />
One step above bare bones, would be to bust out a few sharpie markers and give your squishy fishy a face, or some scales, or any fun design you can dream up.<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690437.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690437.jpg" /></a><br />
Another option is to draw designs with a black sharpie, then use Crayola Washable Watercolors to create a tie-dyed effect. {Simply take a paint brush, dip into the water and then the paint, and then blotch random patches of color into the white sock. The sock readily soaks up the watery-paint.} <br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690427.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690427.jpg" /></a><br />
For this squishy fishy, we used:<br />
A black sock<br />
Acrylic paints<br />
The eraser on the back of a pencil<br />
<br />
Just dip the eraser into the paint and use it to make the polka dots. Be sure and re-dip the eraser for each dot so the paint will show up nice and dark. Then glue on some googly eyes or buttons, and your fish is complete!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690422.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690422.jpg" /></a><br />
This Fishy? {Above}<br />
Old white sweat sock<br />
Acrylic Paint<br />
Paint Brush<br />
Googly Eyes<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690446.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690446.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
And this fishy?<br />
Funky sock {Walmart}<br />
Silk flower<br />
Rhinestone<br />
Funky buttons<br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/?action=view&current=P1690414.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/P1690414.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Now, to have a little fun with your squishy fishies, try one of the following simple games:<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Toss Game</span></div>*Round up laundry baskets, pots, tupperware bowls and anything else you can think of.<br />
*Spread them out over the lawn.<br />
* Write different point values on paper plates and attach them to the "targets". {Higher point values should be assigned to smaller targets that are further away, while smaller point values are assigned to easier/larger targets.}<br />
* give each child a certain number of fish and then see how many points they can earn!<br />
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<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hot Potato</span></div>*Pass a squishy fishy around in a circle as fast as you can to music.<br />
*When the music stops, the player stuck holding the fishy has to run a penalty lap around the circle.<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Fish Out Of Water</span></div>*Set a small blue object out in the yard, or at the far end of your living room. This object represents a pond. <br />
* Stand behind an established line on the opposite end of the yard or room.<br />
*Have each child take a turn tossing a squishy fishy across the room in an attempt to land it as close to the "water" as possible.<br />
*The child who lands their fishy closest to the pond wins.<br />
<br />
Any bean bag game your kids like to play will work just as well for your squishy fishies.<br />
So make some fun memories with your little ones today!Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-47915481130576963012012-03-03T22:15:00.002-08:002012-03-03T22:15:46.798-08:00Artsy Summer Fun<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OZ_vHrM6nj0" width="640"></iframe></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-19321541899429404252012-03-03T22:14:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:14:51.883-08:00VIP Plate on Fresh Living<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FaWrBRBeLdA" width="640"></iframe>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-50167902626437541882012-03-03T22:13:00.004-08:002012-03-03T22:13:50.562-08:00Battle of the sexes.<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/SSB_GUmy0yM" width="640"></iframe></div><br />
Jenn and Laura hit the streets to get answers to some age old questions that have been plaguing the sexes for decades.Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-64063291392433586172012-03-03T22:13:00.001-08:002012-03-03T22:13:14.785-08:00Summer Bucket List.<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="338" id="il_fi" src="http://runawayjuno.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/bucket.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="319" /> </div><br />
<div style="color: cyan; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Today we are putting together a </span></div><div style="color: cyan; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summer Bucket List. </span></div><div style="color: cyan; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Have you heard of these?<br />
<br />
It's where you make a big old list about all of the awesome things you definitely want to do this summer, cut the list into strips, put the strips into a BUCKET, and draw out an activity a couple of times a week. <br />
<br />
Then you go and do whatever activity you pull! <br />
How genius is that? <br />
Love, love this idea. <br />
<br />
(If you aren't exactly the spontaneous type, and you need some extra time to pull your activity together, you can always pull the activity the night before so that you can plan for it. It's always fun for kids to have something to look forward to.)<br />
<br />
Here is the list of things that our family came up with: <br />
<br />
<span style="color: cyan; font-size: large;">ALL DAY ACTIVITIES:</span><br />
Go to the Zoo<br />
Go to Discovery Gateway<br />
Go to the Aquarium<br />
Go to Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum<br />
Go to the Bean Museum<br />
Go to Seven Peaks Water Park<br />
Go to Lagoon<br />
<br />
<div style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-size: large;">HALF DAY ACTIVITIES:</span></div>Go Bowling<br />
Miniature Golf<br />
Go on a picnic<br />
Go to an outdoor movie<br />
Go out for ice cream<br />
Visit a new playground<br />
Visit a new playground<br />
Visit a new playground<br />
Go to the Art City Museum<br />
Go to an activity day at the library<br />
Visit Krispy Kreme<br />
Fire Station Tour<br />
Go to yard sales<br />
Camp<br />
Go berry picking<br />
Have an art party<br />
Roast marshmallows<br />
Have a backyard camp out<br />
Make popsicles<br />
Make s’mores<br />
Make wind chimes<br />
Go to the duck pond<br />
Go to the Reservoir<br />
Go to a fun Swimming Pool<br />
<br />
<div style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-size: large;">What activities are YOU going to be adding to your summer bucket list?</span></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-31565947811091479982012-03-03T22:11:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:11:21.463-08:00Fun with cookie cutters.Make lunch time interesting this summer with the help of your stash of cookie cutters. Kids love seeing their food take on different shapes and personalities, and hey, with an eater as picky as mine, it's all about doing what works. <br />
<br />
You can use cookie cutters to shape watermelon, jello, toast, and even your kiddo's PB&J. I used mine to make fun turkey and cheese sandwiches today and the kids loved it! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/?action=view&current=P1690263.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/P1690263.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This crown cookie cutter is great for making your daughter princess for a day, and also would be fantastic to use when serving little sandwiches as a princess tea party. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/?action=view&current=P1690252.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/P1690252.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/?action=view&current=P1690255.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/P1690255.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Rooster toast was a hilarious addition to our breakfast table. {Goes great with eggs!} The toast pictured below has cinnamon and sugar and would serve as a great mid-morning snack! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/?action=view&current=P1690277.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20activities/P1690277.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Watermelon is fun, but messy, so you may want to "cookie-cut" your watermelon slices outdoors so kids can just have fun and won't have to worry about making a mess. Simply cut watermelon into large, round slices and dole them out to the kids. They can also carve their own designs with a butter knife for one of a kind creations!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1690330.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1690330.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1690335.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1690335.jpg" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/?action=view&current=P1690339.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/kid%20food/P1690339.jpg" /></a></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-15592602675029940942012-03-03T22:06:00.000-08:002012-03-03T22:06:31.007-08:00VIP Plate<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Enter to win a FREE marker plate kit!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: cyan;">Update: And the winner is... Rayburn Memories!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: cyan;"><span style="font-size: small;">{we will be contacting you via email for mailing information.}</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">{Details at the bottom of this post.}<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tl8rSbk3gQU" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680802.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680802.jpg" /></a></div><br />
As two VERY busy moms ourselves, we know that parents today are swamped. So our goal here at ifamily is to bring you simple, creative projects and ideas that are achievable within small increments of time while also using supplies that are easy to access. <br />
<br />
In keeping with that theme, today we’re going to share a wonderful family tradition in the making, and all you need to get started, is a plate!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680715.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680715.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680700.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680700.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680717.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680717.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680698.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680698.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">These days, parents are busier than ever. We have jobs, errands, sporting events, dance classes, birthday parties, school projects, and “TO DO” lists that are NOT for the faint of heart. With all of this hustle and bustle, we sometimes struggle to find time to connect with our kids and make sure that they feel special and celebrated when they experience even the smallest victories. </div><br />
That’s where the VIP plate comes in. But how does a simple plate serve to bring your family closer together?<br />
The VIP plate provides a daily opportunity to celebrate your child’s accomplishments, and reminds frazzled, busy parents everywhere to slow down and celebrate the small things.<br />
<br />
The premise is simple. When one of your children accomplishes a goal or makes a good choice, they get to use the VIP plate that night at dinner. From being a good sport at their ball games, to working hard in school, or even showing kindness to a sibling and completing a task the first time mom asks, there are dozens of small things to celebrate every day. And take it from us, this small gesture WON’T go unappreciated.<br />
<br />
We wanted to share this tradition with you because both of us have nostalgic, happy “VIP plate” memories from our childhoods. The VIP plate truly is a tradition that your kids will remember fondly for years to come.<br />
<br />
And the best part is, it’s so simple that many of you can start this tradition by dinner tonight. <br />
<br />
There are no rules when it comes to acquiring your family’s VIP plate. If you’re an avid crafter, you can easily design and create your own!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Glass Etching</span> <br />
<b>You’ll need:</b><br />
a clear glass plate<br />
a paintbrush<br />
contact brand vinyl {but we have a cheat if you want to use a stencil you already own}<br />
a jar of glass etching cream<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680805.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680805.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Cut out the stencil letters and any designs you plan to use, then use Elmer's Glue {our "cheat" item}to secure them onto your plate. {You don't need to let it dry AT ALL! In fact it need to be wet so you can rinse it away after the etching process is complete. We just didn't want to splurge on contact vinyl {because we're cheap}so we used the Elmer's Glue as a sealer to keep the etching cream from bleeding outside the lines of the stencil.<br />
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Once your stencil letters and designs are secure, take your paint brush and stroke a heavy layer of etching cream over the stencil.<br />
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Let it stand for five minutes, and then rinse with regular tap water.<br />
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{Don't touch the cream with your bare hands! It will eat the skin right off of your fingers!} <br />
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As always, follow the specific instructions on whatever bottle of etching cream you purchase.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Marker Plate</span><br />
Another great idea is a marker plate. This one is so simple and safe that your kids can help. {That is, if you're the carefree sort...} You can find kits for these at just about any craft store. Draw, design, and let it dry, and you’ve got a one of a kind celebration plate for your family.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680700.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680700.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Another fun take on this theme is to let each child design their own plate, OR have mom and dad design special plates for each child with hand-drawn images of their interests and favorite things.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Thrift Store</span><br />
And if you don’t have a crafty bone in your body – don’t sweat it. You can still have a special V.I.P. Plate ready by dinner time tonight. Just visit your local thrift store and pick up the brightest, funkiest plate you can find. That way, it will be different from the rest of the dish sets you have at home, and shouldn’t cost you more than a dollar or two. You can even use something unique out of your own kitchen cupboards. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/?action=view&current=P1680698.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/ifamily/P1680698.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Online</span><br />
You can also purchase a "You're the Best" plate<span style="color: #6fa8dc;"> </span><b style="color: #6fa8dc;"><a href="http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/youre-the-best-celebration-plate">here. </a></b><br />
<br />
<div style="color: cyan; text-align: center;"><a class="rednav lightbox-enabled" href="http://images.cloud.worthpoint.com/wpimages/images/images1/1/0408/21/1_b92cf46ea668edee63bf796769850fb3.jpg" rel="lightbox[39514124] nofollow" title="YOU'RE THE BEST - CELEBRATION PLATE"> <img align="middle" alt="eBay Image 1 YOU'RE THE BEST - CELEBRATION PLATE" height="200" src="http://worthopedia.s3.amazonaws.com/images/thumbnails2/1/0408/21/1_b92cf46ea668edee63bf796769850fb3.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(116, 107, 107); padding: 2px;" width="200" /></a></div><div style="color: cyan;"><br />
Zoom (2) </div><div style="color: cyan;"><br />
</div>So try incorporating the VIP plate into your family traditions today.<br />
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And you don't <b>have</b> to call it a "VIP" plate either.<br />
<br />
“You’re the Best!”<br />
“You are Special.”<br />
“Good for you!”<br />
<br />
or any other encouraging saying will work great!<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Enter to win a free marker plate kit!</span><br />
*For ONE entry, leave a comment complete with your email address.<br />
*For TWO entries, become a follower of our little blog.<br />
* For THREE entries, share this post on facebook. {It's super simple, the little "f" icon thingy is right below!}<br />
*Leave a separate comment for each entry.<br />
*Don't forget your email address, and good luck!Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-32425280099006738092011-08-29T20:55:00.000-07:002011-08-29T20:55:30.222-07:00Movie PartyIt was really fun. <br />
And I am officially certifiable.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here is how the party went down:</span></div>The kids all received a "movie ticket" in their invitation package.<br />
My cute niece, Jordan, stood at the "ticket booth" in the front yard, and as the guests arrived, she took their tickets, gave them VIP glow in the dark bracelets and some fake money to buy candy, popcorn, and a soda at the concessions stand, and sent them to the back yard!<br />
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It was fun to see how excited they got.<br />
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One REALLY lame thing about starting a party at 8:00 p.m.?<br />
It's too dark to take good pictures!<br />
So I am very sad that I didn't get any shots of the concessions stand or popcorn buffet, BUT I am glad that I took a few pics for the blog earlier in the day.<br />
<br />
Here are the cupcakes we made. {48 of them - yikes!}<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710957.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710957.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">And these are the salt shaker jars we made for the popcorn buffet.</span></div>Kids had the choices of :<br />
1. Salt<br />
2. Cheddar Cheese Powder<br />
3. Lime Salt<br />
4. Ranch Seasoning Salt<br />
5. S'mores mix {Golden Grahams, Marshamallows, & Chocolate Chips}</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710988.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710988.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1720003.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1720003.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710997.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710997.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710992.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710992.jpg" width="239" /></a><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710998.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="320" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710998.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1720019.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1720019.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: large;">It was a fun, loud, MESSY good time!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1720022.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1720022.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kort got so many thoughtful, fun gifts. Our "Feature Film" was "Despicable Me" and one of our little party guests has a mom that has a REALLY cute business called <a href="http://cherubchic.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: cyan;">CherubChic</span>, </a>and she made Kort a "Minion" hat for the party. It is so fun! He refused to take it off all weekend. I am so calling her this Halloween for Tennyson. She has RIDICULOUS headbands for little girls too. I wish I had her talent with yarn!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1720034.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1720034.jpg" /></a></div>All in all, it was such a great birthday. I am pooped! {And consequently triggered shingles because I over-did it so bad, so... mayhaps I am not such a good example of "moderation" sometimes.} But hey, he will always remember his amazing movie party. And it's a good thing - cause it's ain't happenin' EVAH again!<br />
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So today, I am still recovering from one WICKED berfday party... what are YOU doing today? Will you please link up and share? And will you go even one step further and tell some other people about our great little project over at <a href="http://communalglobal.blogspot.com/" style="color: cyan;">communal global</a>? {On facebook, twitter, or your blog...and what not?}We would sure love it.<br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=79457" type="text/javascript">
</script>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7911577104415192184.post-71519309546916674542011-08-23T23:19:00.000-07:002011-08-23T23:19:50.152-07:00The Birthday {Cup}CakeWhen thinking {okay, and googling}about what sort of cake would go well with an "outdoor movie" themed birthday, I stumbled upon this lil' bad boy<a href="http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/popcorn-cupcakes-686323/"> <span style="color: cyan;">here.</span></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><img height="420" id="il_fi" src="http://familyfun.go.com/assets/cms/recipes/popcorn-cupcakes-recipe-photo-420-FF0800CUPCKA08.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="420" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I LOVED the idea of little marshmallow popcorns decorating individual "buckets" of popcorn, and decided that I wanted to do my own take on it. I also saw some cupcakes <a href="http://www.spottedcanary.com/party_time/movie_night_party.htm" style="color: cyan;">here</a> that had cute movie-themed "toppers" sticking out of each cupcake.<br />
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<span class="rg_ctlv"><a class="rg_hl" href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=movie+themed+party&um=1&hl=en&rlz=1B3GGLL_enUS376US376&biw=1280&bih=589&tbm=isch&tbnid=ttC6CQbexujN7M:&imgrefurl=http://www.spottedcanary.com/party_time/movie_night_party.htm&docid=hP5lUDrPZSW_RM&w=800&h=446&ei=NZBUTv3XPLCmsAK2o4nBBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=860&vpy=131&dur=2997&hovh=167&hovw=301&tx=142&ty=81&page=2&tbnh=93&tbnw=167&start=10&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:10" id="rg_hl" style="height: 167px; width: 301px;"><img class="rg_hi" data-height="167" data-width="301" height="167" id="rg_hi" src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQh7nRV0dbA5Sc2ba0ml8pfsBDbunU5M7vCTPZBE-z07u8i7RrHUQ" style="height: 167px; width: 301px;" width="301" /></a></span><br />
I wanted all of the cupcake toppers for Kort's party to look the same, and I really wanted to stick to the old-style, "vintage feel" of a charming, country-ish outdoor movie. In other words, I wanted to Martha my popcorn cupcakes.<br />
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So these are the toppers my niece and I made:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710923.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710923.jpg" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">We just used individual letter stamps to stamp out the words pop and corn, and then glue-sticked them onto red cardstock. I am really happy with the old-timey feel of them!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710930.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710930.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">And I picked a blue and cream polka dotted paper {below} that we'll be using to wrap around the individual cupcake wrappers. I LOVE the blue and red together. You could always order REALLY great cupcake wrappers online, but, shock of all shockers, I waited too long and there isn't time for them to come in the mail. Oh well, this way I got to do it EXACTLY my way. Can't be mad at that.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710940.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710940.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The other project I've been working on is making more pennant banners for the party. I've decided to go with white table cloths lined with pennant banners. {And worry not, I am not - by ANY means - delusional enough to think that any of this will have a lasting effect on a bunch of rowdy third graders, but hey, love is in the details. And I sort of love that 3rd grader...like, a lot.}</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710944.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710944.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/?action=view&current=P1710947.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z408/HousewifeonFire/Movie%20Party/P1710947.jpg" /></a></div>Housewife on Firehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09006997012334061107noreply@blogger.com2