A Teeny Tiny Birthday Party

My littlest chick turned 10 last week and she wanted a "Tiny" Birthday Party. We brainstormed a few ideas, looked on the internet, and this is what we came up with...

Invitations:

I typed up the text for the invitations using Calibri, font size 8, and then reduced it 20% on the copier. We backed them with scrapbook paper, and made tiny envelopes. I had lots of little magnifying glasses, so we gave each girl one, with the invite.

Games:
The first thing we did was to decorate tiny little cakes. My little chick had an American Girl magazine that featured tiny treats for girls to make. It was taken from their book called Tiny Treats.

To make the cakes, take 2 oreos or other round cookies. Frost the top of one cookie and stick the second one on top. Then frost the two cookies as if they were a cake. I let the cakes sit overnight, and they soften so that you can cut them!

Image from unconfidentialcook.com

To decorate the cakes, we used small tubes of icing, (the ones that are made for writing on cakes), and sprinkles.

Next we went on a teeny tiny treasure hunt. The clues were made just like the invitations, and I posted them outside. The group had a magnifying glass to read them. (They were pretty tough to find, because they were so small, which was great fun for girls this age.) At the end of the hunt, the treasure was individual bags filled with tiny treats: a package of Gripz Chips Deluxe cookies,Gripz Cheez-it crackers, tiny nail polish, tiny little dogs with collars, leashes, blankets and chew toys.

The dog idea was from the American Girls Tiny Treasures book.

The last game we played was "How well do you know Little Chick?" We made up a list of questions: favorite color, favorite class at school, etc. and we gave the test to all of the party goers. The girl who got the most right, won the game.

Come back on Monday for part two, where we will talk about food to serve at a Tiny party!

Using and Storing Fresh Herbs--Sage

Sage is an herb from the Mediterranean, but it is widely available here, (think Thanksgiving and stuffing!) Fresh or dried sage can be used to flavor meat before cooking--just sprinkle it over the top. A sprig of it can also be put inside a chicken or a turkey breast. You can also put leaves and left over stems on the charcoal when grilling and it will flavor the meat. See E How for more information.

(Image from theherbgardner.blogspot.com)
Storing fresh sage:
Fresh sage can be cut, wrapped in paper towels, and stored in a plastic bag in the fridge for 4-5 days. Leaves can also be picked, covered with olive oil, and then stored in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Be sure to use the flavored oil.
Freezing Sage: Sage can be easily frozen, just wash and dry leaves, pack loosely in plastic bags and freeze for up to one year. Freezing will intensify the flavor. More information here.
Drying sage:
Dried sage is preferred by most cooks. There is a wonderful tutorial here. Sage can be dried by tying sprigs together, putting them in a brown paper bag, and hanging the bag upside down for a couple of weeks. Be sure to cut a few slits in the bag. When the herbs are dried, separate the leaves from the stems and store them in an airtight container. The leaves can be crushed, but the oils will last longer in whole leaves.
Sage as medicine:
Sage can be used for medicinal purposes too! Suite 101 has a really good article about this. Sage is a natural source of estrogen and can be helpful in combating menopausal symptoms, such as night sweats. To do this, put 10 fresh leaves in a cup, pour boiling water over the leaves, and let it for 5 minutes. Strain out the leaves and add a bit of honey. Drink this tea one hour before bedtime for three nights, and then every few nights after that. Sage can also be taken in a gelcap if you do not like the taste of the tea!

See you back on Monday!

Have a great weekend.
Debbie

Using and Storing Fresh Herbs--Oregano

Oregano is a member of the mint family. It is a strong, bold herb that can be used to make many dishes. Most recipes call for garlic and oregano to be paired together. Oregano leaves can be snipped off and used directly. Fresh oregano stems can also be cut and stored in a plastic bag in the fridge.

(Image from examiner.com)
Drying Fresh Oregano: Click here for a more in depth description from E How.
To dry, cut stems of oregano and hang upside down in a cool,dark place. Dried oregano can then be put in a paper bag to catch the leaves as they fall. Remove the leaves and store in an airtight container.
Freezing Oregano:
If you freeze oregano, it will retain more of its flavor and aroma. Freezing is simple...cut a stem of oregano, strip the leaves off, and put them in freezer bags and freeze. Another way to do it is to lightly chop the leaves, mix with olive oil and put the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Be sure to label the bag, and store the cubes in a ziploc bag in the freezer!

Come back tomorrow to talk about sage.

Have a great day!
Debbie

Using and Storing Fresh Herbs--Basil

I LOVE the smell and taste of basil! My plant perfumes the entire kitchen when it is handled at all. Basil leaves can be picked and used directly in everyday cooking.

(Image is from diylife.com)
You can also cut entire stems of basil for future use. According to E How Food, cut basil should not be stored in the refrigerator. They suggest, instead, that basil should be cut and then the stems should be put into a glass of water and left out on the kitchen counter top, where it will last for days or weeks. Note: If you purchase the basil at the store, cut the stems before putting into water. Also, the cut basil should not be in direct sunlight.
Freezing Basil...
Basil is a soft herb, but it can be easily frozen:
Chop the basil and put it into ice cube trays--cover each section with water and freeze. Pop the ice cubes out and store them in a large ziploc bag.

(Image from the website Kalyn'skitchen.com)
Another great way to freeze basil, is to coarsely chop it in a food processor,(with two or three tablespoons of olive oil drizzled in per batch.) Be sure that all leaves are coated with oil, (this will keep them from turning black in the freezer.) Kalyn's Kitchen has a step by step tutorial here.
Growing Basil...
Basil requires 6-8 hours of sunlight and well drained soil. Pinch off the flowers as they begin to form. Haylie let some of her basil flower, and it changed the flavor of the leaves on that stem. She pinched off the flowers, including the surrounding leaves, and the rest of the plant tasted ok.
Read more about growing basil here.
E How has a pesto recipe that I want to try. It sounds so easy!

(Image from statenislandfoodandwine.com)
Everything goes into a food processor:
2 cups fresh basil,firmly packed
3 cloves garlic minced
1/2 c. pinenuts
1/2 c. fresh parsley
3/4 c. grated parmesean cheese
1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. pepper
Process. Then add 2/3 c. olive oil and process again.
The pesto can be eaten fresh, or it can be frozen.
To freeze, put into small containers and add a small amount of olive oil to the top. Seal and freeze!

Come back tomorrow to learn about oregano!

Debbie

Using and Storing Fresh Herbs--Rosemary

I have loved having fresh herbs available, but I was not really sure what to do with them. This week I will share with you what I have learned.

(Picture from veggiegardeningtips.com)
Rosemary is considered a hard herb. It is a wonderful savory herb that can be used for meats, breads, and any Mediterranean-type cooking. Sprigs of rosemary can be used whole, but it is more common to just use the leaves. To separate the leaves from the stem, hold the sprig by the top and strip the leaves down. I like to chop the leaves for some things, but you can also use them whole. Rosemary can be dried, but it tends to lose some of its flavor. Large stems can be soaked in water and used as skewers.
Here is a nice site about using rosemary.
You can store rosemary by picking it, washing it in cold water, and putting it in a ziplock bag. Put the bag in the freezer for a couple of weeks. Take the bag out of the freezer and roll it with a rolling pin until the leaves fall off. Separate the leaves from the stems and pack the leaves into a small canning jar with a tight-fitting lid. Label the jar and put it back in the freezer. (This works equally well for thyme.) You can read here for a more complete how-to from Kaylyn's kitchen, who says that the herbs can be stored this way for more than a year.
Growing rosemary- Most experts agree that it is easier to grow rosemary from a plant that you buy from a nursery. Rosemary can be propagated from an existing plant by following the information here.
They need lots of sunshine, and do not like to be too wet. Indoor rosemary plants need to be transplanted once a year.
Come back tomorrow to learn about how to use basil!

Debbie

An herb garden...waiting for spring

One of my favorite blogs is Budget Wise Homes,(see my sidebar), and she wrote a great post about creating a mini herb garden. I had been wanting to learn to cook with fresh herbs, so I decided to try her idea!

I bought the clear containers at the dollar store, along with a package of rocks. I put the rocks in the bottom of the vases, poured in some potting soil, added the plants and tags with the name of the herb on it and that was it!

Tomorrow I will post about how to use your kitchen herbs!

Debbie

A Little Bit of Spring...Inside

My house has been the same colors forever....neutral colors, with accents of pink, blue. A year or two ago, I bought a sage green couch and began changing my accent colors to green and a brick red. I have LOVED the colors, but my kitchen was the same old colors:pink and blue.

I was looking for a piece of fabric to jazz up my kitchen window, and I fell in love with this floral print at JoAnn Fabrics. (They were having a great sale--50% off their home decorating fabric), so... I made this valance. (My husband thinks it looks like material you would find in a camp trailer, but what does he know!) I cut the fabric 2 times the width of the window and the length I wanted. Then I folded it in half the long way and cut the arch, (I really just winged it.) I cut a second piece out of lining material, sewed the two of them together, added a casing, and in less than 30 minutes I was done.
I love how the colors in the valance match my grandma's antique turkey platter and cookie jar, that sit on top of my kitchen cabinets.

Here is another view...

And another...

I even found these aqua utensils at Shopko, on their Dollar Days sale. They matched everything perfectly.

Every time I look at my kitchen window, it makes me smile--it is a little bit of springtime...inside!

Happy first week of spring!
Debbie

Is it Spring Yet?

The radio station out of Salt Lake City says that it is time to plant peas and my mailbox is full of seed catalogs...is it spring yet? The calendar says , "yes," but the weather is not cooperating--we had snow flurries today and they are forecast for the rest of the week. I decided to take matters into my own hands and celebrate the first week of spring! Here are a few fun spring treats, sure to chase away the "Winter Won't go Away Blues!"

Bird Nest Cupcakes

Make a batch of mini cupcakes and frost them with green tinted frosting. Top them with a nest of Chinese noodles, a couple of peanut M&Ms and voila--spring treats in a jiffy.

Dirt Pudding is another quick and springy treat.

Mix up a box of chocolate pudding according to the directions. Add cool whip until the pudding is the consistency of an expensive mousse. Throw some chocolate cookies in the blender,(Oreos or cheap chocolate cookies will do). Put the "mousse" into clear plastic cups, top it with Oreo "dirt," plant a sprig of mint and you have a treat that looks like spring is here!

Keep thinking warm thoughts and maybe spring will decide to make its appearance!

See you tomorrow!

Debbie

Couponing!

Let me start by saying that my life is WAY too busy to coupon.  I love to get things for cheap but who has time to figure out all the deals and then run to 5 different stores, not to mention that I would have to tow 3 kids, 5 and under along.  After buying them snacks along the way as we marathon shop, I am sure to save nothing!  Nevertheless, I coupon.  Without kids.  And it takes only a couple hours or so a week.  How?  An online site.

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There are tons of sites out there that do the leg work for you.  They figure out the best deals, the coupon to use and you simply print out a list and you are on your way.  My personal favorite is couponsense.com.  I am AMAZED at the amount of work they do, which makes even less work for me.  They have even gone so far as to compile a list of online coupon sources. Which you can access here! Most of their resources are only available for subscribing members.  It is a $15 monthly fee and it is WELL worth it.  The deals I posted above are in the last 2 weeks.  As you can see, the savings more than pay for my newspaper and website subscription.  Your subscription supplies you with a coupon coach and all sorts of tutorials on how to get started, how to get the best deals and how to organize your coupons.
Although the site supplies you with all the leg work, there is still the problem of dragging several small children to multiple grocery stores. My solution is this: First, I limit the stores I visit to 2 a week. Usually the deals are mostly at one or two stores anyway and it has to be an amazing deal for me to spend any more time than that. I also do my shopping in the evening. When hubby gets home, we have dinner and then he does bedtime while I run out. I can tell you from experience that my trips are MUCH shorter and I stick to buying what I came for if I go without kids (or hubby)!
I have to warn you, couponing is quite addicting and you may find yourself standing at the checkout line grinning as you watch your bill go lower and lower with each beap of a coupon being scanned!

Leprechaun Traps!

 I started making leprechaun traps with my Kindergarten class today, and I am always amazed at the amount of reasoning and higher level thinking that goes into making them.  I put out lots of materials for the kids to use: paper plates, foil, clothespins, yarn, paper clips, gold bells, little baskets and boxes, and anything else I could think of.  I just kind of let them go, and work with their group to come up with ideas.

 I did give my students two things to think about:
1.  Why will the leprechaun come to your trap?  What will attract him?
2.  What will make the trap fall?

I have my students explain their thinking....how will the trap work?  It is so fun to hear what they have to say--they can really come up with ingenious ideas.  They can also see their trap's weaknesses when they talk about it.  Metacognition or thinking about your thinking is a very important higher level thinking skill.

Watch for pictures of our Kindergarten traps tomorrow!

Here is a wonderful site  to visit.  There is a webcam where you can watch for a real leprechaun in Tipperary, Ireland.  There are also videos of what other people have seen!  So cool!

If you decide to make a leprechaun trap, click here to read a very cute article about How to Catch a Leprechaun.

Happy inventing!
Debbie

Baby Carseat Canopy Cover

Have you ever wondered how to make those cute carseat canopies?  They are so simple!
1.  Start with two contrasting pieces of flannel 36"x44".

2.  Take a plate or a bowl and trace around it onto the corners of the rectangle.  This will give you the rounded edges.
3.  Mark the center of the rectangle, both horizontally and vertically.
4.  Measure in 1-3/4" in, on the horizontal center line, and mark it.  Cut the outside edges as shown on the drawing.
5.  Cut 4 handle pieces  4 1/2"x 9".
6.  Sew the carseat cover, right sides together, using 1/2" seams.  Leave a 3"-4" opening to turn the cover.  Turn right side out and press.
7.  Sew the handles, right sides together, using 1/2" seams.  Leave an opening on the long side, to turn the handles.  Press.
8.  Top stitch the outside edge of the cover and the handles--be sure to fold the seam under where you turned them right side out.  I like to top stitch in 1/4" to 1/2" from the edge.
9.   Measure a piece of velcro about 3" long.  Sew one half onto the short end of the handle on the side with the outside fabric, and one half on the opposite end, on the lining fabric.  This way the handle can wrap around the carseat handle to hold the canopy in place.  Repeat for the other handle.
10.  Measure 3" in from each side on the horizontal center line and mark it.  Fold the handle in half the long way, to find the center.  Place the edge of the handle on the 3" mark. The handle should be lining side up. Sew it on the center line.  Repeat for the other handle.  (The handles should be approximately 2 1/2" apart.)
And that is it!  They are quick and easy to make!

If you need a little bit more help, click here for great tutorial.

See you tomorrow!
`
Debbie

Burp Cloths

We are still kind of in baby mode around here, so I decided to post this burp cloth pattern and a quick how to.
The pattern is available here!  Slide down under "Full Term" and you will find the pdf. You can print it out full sized.

There are so many cute fabrics available these days!  Here are a few that I found at www.flannel.com.

Can you tell that we are thinking "girl" around here?

MAKING BURP CLOTHS
1.  Be sure to wash and dry your fabric to pre-shrink it before cutting it out.  You may need to press it a little bit.   Burp cloths work the best if they are double, so find two contrasting fabrics or use the same fabric on both  sides.
2.  Fold the first fabric and put the straight side of the pattern on the fold.  Cut it out.  Repeat with the contrasting color.
3.  Put the two pieces right sides together.  (This means the print side is inside.)

 (Image thanks to http://thelongestyear.typepad.com)
4.  Now sew around the edges, leaving a 3-4"  space for turning the cloth.
5. Turn the cloth right side out and press.  I am lazy, so I like to top stitch around the cloth, rather than hand sew the opening closed!  Top stitch about 1/4" from the outside edge.  I top stitch another seam several inches in too, to keep the cloth from twisting, after many washings!
The edges of the burp cloths can be left plain, or decorated with ric rack or lace.

You can use the same process to make a receiving blanket.  Use two one-yard pieces of fabric for the blanket,(instead of the burp cloth pattern)...all the rest of it is the same!

If you have time, you can do a crocheted edge around your blanket or burp cloth!  Check out the tutorials below, to learn how to do this beautiful edging.
Tutorial number one goes into great detail, for those of you that need a refresher on crocheting.
Tutorial number two assumes that you know how to do the basic stitches.
Please Note~If you are going to do a crocheted edge, you will zigzag your edges together, instead of following the steps outlined above.  Be sure to read the side bar on tutorial one if you do not know how to hemstitch.  Hemstitching is the process that makes little holes around the edge of your item so that you can stick your crochet hook through the fabric!

Tutorial Number One                                                                                          Tutorial Number Two


See you tomorrow! Happy sewing!

Debbie

Cheater, Cheater!

I decided to cheat today and re-post some great ideas I have seen on blogs, for St. Patrick's Day.  I know...it is still 10 days away, but it is creeping up!  You better start on those leprechaun traps!  I will be having my Kindergarteners make them again this year, so stay tuned!
Here are a few ideas to get you started!

I thought this was soooo cute!  I found it here at It is What it is.

If you are into subway art, you can download this cute sign for free!  Click here to find it at Simple as That

 Here is some more subway art.  Download it here from Eighteen25


And last of all, click here  to go to "Irish Blessings," a blog with tons of ideas for St. Patrick's Day and Irish crafts!


Here are a few Irish blessings for you....

"May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live."

“May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping.”

 

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”

 
See you tomorrow!
Debbie

Eric Carle--March Read-Along

I am so happy to be a part of the March Read Along sponsored by Helping Little Hands.

I chose the book A House for Hermit Crab, by Eric Carle.

Hermit crab is growing and he out grows his house!  He wanders around a bit and finds a brand new shell that is just the right size.  He spends the next year decorating his house with wonderful things that he finds on the ocean's floor, but when his home is just the way he wants it to be, he realizes that it is getting too small again!  He gives his lovely home to another smaller hermit crab, and goes looking for a new house.

This is a great story about friendship and moving on and making where you are, the best place to be!

Project:
I teach Kindergarten, and we just finished studying Eric Carle as an author and illustrator.  After we read, A House for Hermit Crab, I traced the hermit crab from the front cover of the book, and gave each of my students a copy.  I asked them to decorate a new house for him.  I had them look at the pictures in the book for ideas, and I set out pom poms, jewels, feathers, markers, and anything else that I could find for them to use.  Here are some new houses for Hermit Crab!

If you have an older child, you may want to encourage him to decorate Hermit Crab's shell, using Eric Carle's collage style.  (He uses tissue paper and paint to create his wonderful illustrations.)
Click here to watch a 3 minute video interview with Eric Carle as he describes his collage style and shows how he does it!  And...
Click here for an Art Lesson site that shows how to do Eric Carle-style art with pre-K and Kindergarten children.

If you would like to learn more about hermit crabs, the following websites have great information and fun things to do:
This link gives great facts about hermit crabs.
This link is an adorable Kindergarten lap book, that goes along with the book.  I LOVE this format and it is a great way to study literature across all subjects.

This link is to a second grade level research project on hermit crabs.
This link is to a webquest for 2nd and 3rd graders called Designing Hermit's Home.  Much younger children could use this site with a parent.
This link is to an interactive site about House for Hermit Crab.  There is much to see and do on this site!

And finally....
If you want to learn more about Eric Carle, click here to visit Eric Carle's official website.

We LOVE Eric Carle books around here and we hope that you do too!

See you on Monday!

Debbie

Chore Chart Ideas

I have had MANY chore charts throughout the years, and all of them have been effective, at least for a while.  My 4 oldest kids are on their own now, but I still have a house full of younger kids, and the chores seem to be as plentiful as they were when all seven kids were at home.  I decided that we needed a new chore chart--something visual, so that at a glance I could tell what was done and what still needed to be done.

I found these glass "drops" at the craft store. 

I had seen them around before, but none that were this big!

I traced around one of the glass discs onto scrapbook paper.  Then I wrote a chore on each circle.  Every child has his/her own color. I glued the paper onto the back of the disc.

Then I hot glued a magnet onto the back of the disc.

I found a bag of about 50 magnets at Home Depot for a couple of dollars.

Then I put the chores up on the fridge.  All the chores start on the left side.  When a chore is finished, the kids move that magnet to the right side.  I can tell very easily what is done and what still needs to be done!

This idea would also work with teaching letters, numbers, or sounds....put 3 letters on the left side and work on those letters several times during the day.  When the child can tell you the letter names all day long, move the letters to the right and add more letters to learn on the left!

I noticed that one of my favorite blogs posted a chore chart this week too!  Head over to eighteen25 to see an online chore chart that you might love!

Tomorrow I will put up my post on Eric Carle.  I will be linking to Helping Little Hands for her March Read Along.  Be sure to check it out!  She will feature at least one children's book per day, and a project for each book.

See you tomorrow!

Debbie

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss, (and Happy Birthday to Carly, and Josie too!!!)

Dr. Seuss' real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel.  He was born on March 2, 1904 in Springfield Massachusetts.  He published many books for children, and some of them were made into movies.  He credits his mother for teaching him to rhyme.  Click here to read more about him.

"I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a
 necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life
 through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and
 that enables you to laugh at life's realities.''
      -Dr. Seuss

Here are some cute ideas for celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss.....

1.  Make a tall hat  (click here to see more cute ideas, like the Sam I Am book.)

2.  Eat green eggs and ham!  I read about many ways to do this, but the easiest one was to add green food coloring to scrambled eggs, and to paint ham slices with green food coloring and water before warming them up!  I also wondered about green deviled eggs.....

3. Play a game at www.seussville.com    Click here!  It was pretty busy last night, so you may need to try it on another day.  It has a lot of interactive things to do.

4.  Best of all....read a book written by Dr. Seuss or watch a movie made from one of his books.

Have a Happy Day and remember...

Note...I will post about job charts tomorrow!  I just got ahead of myself!
Note...I found  a cheap version of the potato bags, (see Will spring really come? posting), at LTD Commodities.  Here is the direct link.  Type "patio planters" in the search box.  They are only $6.95 for 3!!!

Debbie