Cooking With Kids : Snowman Cupcakes

My youngest son, Julian, came home from school with the "snack bag" on Wednesday. I asked him what he wanted and he said "Yum! Yum! Cupcakes!" So my hunt through numerous magazine clippings began. I came across these that I held on to and decided they would be perfect! Except, the kids wanted to help me so we had to simplify them quite a bit. Here's what we did : 

Bake, cool and ice white cupcakes with pre-made creamy white frosting. 

Then cover them with white sugar crystal decorating sprinkles.

Next, for the head, you need a pretzel stick and 1 powdered doughnut hole. Stick the pretzel stick halfway into the doughnut hole and the other half into the center of the cupcake. 

The next step is to make the hats. To do this you need 2 of the large gumdrops in the same color for each cupcake. Flatten 1 of the gumdrops to about the size of an oversized quarter. With a knife slice off the rounded end of the other gumdrop. Set the cut gumdrop on top of the flattened one to make your hat. Attach the hats to the top of the doughnut holes with a dab of icing.

For the eyes and nose we used Nerds candy. We poked the holes with toothpicks and then shoved the nerds in to the holes. For the arms, 2 more pretzel sticks. For the scarf and the trim on the hat, we used Air Heads Xtremes Sour Belts in Rainbow Berry. Using a knife I cut the strips and the kids wrapped them around the bottom of the doughnut holes and on the hat. 

Hudson, with our finished cupcakes! They were sooo proud of them! Not quite like the picture - but definately as yummy and precious!!!


Wishing you sugar, spice and alittle pixie dust,
-Kendall-

Make Your Own Jewelry Box

Making Your Own Jewelry Box

Piper with her jewelry box we made for her

This is a fun project that you can do with your daughter! It allows you both to use your creativity and have a great time together! Each one will turn out different and reflect the style/likes of the individual. They are perfect to put little treasures in or to give as gifts.

Supplies : 

*any unfinished box of your choosing (we got this one at Hobby Lobby)

*different pieces of patterned scrapbook paper

*Modge Podge

*foam brush

*acrylic paint in color of your choice

*old or broken jewelry

*hot glue gun & glue sticks

Making the Jewelry Box :

1-Paint the box in the acrylic paint color of your choice.

2-After it dries, begin cutting out different pieces of patterned paper to fit on the sides/top/bottom/drawers etc. of your jewelry box.

3-With your foam brush, apply Modge Podge to the jewelry box, then apply the paper. Smooth out the paper with the side of your hand, credit card, etc. to get all the wrinkles out. This part be sure and do one section at a time.

4-After the paper is all smoothed out apply another layer of Modge Podge over the paper to seal it. Continue this process until your whole jewelry box is covered with the different patterns of scrapbook paper.

5-Allow to dry for several hours or over night.

6-Once dry you can hot glue old or broken jewelry onto your jewelry box as knobs or just for decoration. A fun way to gather up the jewelry is to go to garage sales, flea markets or antique malls.

Wishing you fun, creativity and a little pixie dust,

-Kendall-

New Year's Celebration For Kids

Throwing A New Year's Party For Your Kids

This year we weren't able to be with our children on New Year's Eve, so we decided to have a celebration with them and another family, The Locke's, a few days later. To prepare for our party I recorded the Dick Clark New Year's special on t.v. so we could play it during the kid's party and count down with them as the ball dropped. We had party hats, noise makers, confetti, party poppers, our own New Year's ball pinata and lanterns. Before our guests arrived, Hudson,Piper and I set the table.

Once our friends arrived the kids all crowded around the table, got on their beads and hats, and we turned on the New Year's special on t.v. Once they were all decked in their party gear, we served them pizza and sparkling wild berry and white grape juice in their champagne glasses. When they were finished with their pizza, they had New Year's cupcakes.  

About this time they were starting the minute countdown on t.v., so we all started counting down together. As the ball dropped we all yelled Happy New Year, kissed and cheered. After that the kids did some confetti party poppers and then they did their New Years Ball pinata. 

After they finished scrambling for the pinata candy, we all went outside and popped some fireworks, did fountains, and let off Chinese lanterns so they could make a wish for the coming year! We all had a great time and can't wait for next years celebration!

Wishing you happiness, health and alittle pixie dust,

-Kendall-

Snow and Crystal Centerpiece

Snow & Crystal Centerpiece Perfect For January Parties

Last night we hosted a New Year's party for 50 at our house. I went with the theme of snow, crystals, silver, etc... It was freezing cold so I thought that would definately fit the occasion! We had the party outside in a tent with a band, frozen drink bar, silver party hats and crowns, a photo booth, and of course heaters!!! The centerpieces and coordinating table decorations could be used at any occasion during the cold winter months or if you live in an area where it snows often. They would be perfect at an anniversary party, wedding reception, adult birthday party, etc..

THE SUPPLIES: 

*Large glass cylinder vases

*Clear glass pebbles

*Snow (fluff in a bag), snow flakes and glitter flakes

* Tree Limbs

* Kilz spray paint, Clear sealer with silver glitter spray

*Asst. Snowflakes, and crystals

*Silver mirrored x-mas ornaments

STEP 1: 

Put 1 bag of pebbles in the bottom of each vase to help weigh it down. Then mix the snow fluff with some of the glitter flakes and use to fill vase about 2/3 full.

STEP 2 :

Spray paint your branches white with the Kilz, let dry. When dry coat them all with the clear/silver glitter spray sealer. Once your branches have dried, stick one into each vase through the snow and then place a couple of the mirrored x-mas ornaments on top of the snow around the branches.

STEP 3 :

The final step in completing your centerpiece is to hang the snowflakes and crystals randomly on your branch. Viola! A winter wonderland centerpiece ready to brighten up any table!

To add some interest around the bottom of the centerpieces I sat them on octagon mirrors, sprinkled flaked snow and glitter on the mirrors around them and topped them off with some large glass diamonds. The finished product was beautiful.

Wishing you happiness, love and alittle pixie dust in the coming year,

-Kendall-

Christmas Eve With Children

Christmas Eve Tradition For Children From Our House To Yours

On Christmas Eve many families spend time together in church singing Christmas carols, reading the Christmas Story through scripture, lighting candles, or doing something meaningful to them with family and friends. I would love nothing more than to get to spend Christmas Eve peacefully in a church singing and reaffirming my beliefs for the reason for the season, but... not gonna happen anytime soon! 

Two Christmas's ago, we all loaded up and headed to church for the Christmas Eve service. I had these wonderful preconceived visions in my head of us all singing, lighting the candles and listening to the Christmas story together - right! That's not quite how it happened! My youngest fell off the pew, our candles ended up rolling down the aisles, no one sat still and not only could we not enjoy the service, I was pretty sure atleast the 5 rows around us couldn't either. After that fiasco, my mother-in-law decided she would have our own celebration at her house until the kids got older. 

On Christmas Eve we go over to their house around 5:30 and

have dinner. After dinner we all gather in the living room and sing a selection of Christmas carols. 

After we sing the Christmas carols, the kids all pile up on the couch in the living room and Linda (my mother-in-law) reads the Christmas story to all of them. 

  

The next step in our "homemade" holiday service is to celebrate Jesus' birthday. We do this with the children by singing Happy Birthday to him and having a birthday cake. After we sing then they all get to blow out the candle together and go around and tell one thing this past year that they were thankful for. 

To conclude our celebration they finally get to open their gifts from them and get their stockings. This tradition that she created has turned out to be as memorable and special to the adults as it has for the children. The next time you find yourself dragging a crying child out of church, remember Christmas Eve can be just as special and meaningful no matter where you choose to celebrate. 

Happy Holidays from our house to yours,

Kendall

Ornaments To Make With Kids

5 Quick Ornaments to Make With Your Kids

1. Handprint Christmas Tree 

To make this ornament start with a clear or frosted glass ball. With green paint, paint your child's hand and then print it on the ball with the fingers pointing towards the top. Once the handprint is dry, paint a trunk (brown), a star and garland (yellow) and then add dots fro ornaments (red). 

2. Crushed Can Gingerbread Man

To make this ornament start with one empty pop can - crushed. Paint the crushed can light brown/tan. Out of a coordinating brown foam sheet, draw and cut out a body for your gingerbread man. Once your can is dry, hot glue the foam body to the underside of the can. The next step is to use puff paint to add the details on the body and the face, glue on the wiggle eyes, pom pom nose and bow and your done!

3. Ice Cream Cone Ornament 

The first step to making this ornament is to hot glue a solid color Christmas ball to an ice cream cone. Once dry, drip white and brown or white and red paint on the top of the ball and let it run down the sides - this becomes your marshmallow, chocolate and strawberry sauce on your icecream! While the paint is still wet sprinkle real ice cream sprinkles onto it and voila' an ice cream cone for your tree that looks almost edible!!!

4. Wooden Star

To make this simple but easy ornament all you need are large popsicle sticks, glue dots, glitter, rhinestones, stickers or whatever you would like to decorate them with. Arrange your popsicle sticks into a star and glue dot them together. The let the kids get busy glueing, glittering and decorating them to their hearts content. This is fun and quick to do together and let's the kids creativity shine!

 5. Fingerprint Snowman Ornament

This ornament is not only adorable but a keepsake too. Start with a plain ornament (clear, frosted, solid blue, etc.). Paint your childs fingers white, 3 or 4 depending on how many will fit on the ornament,  and then press them on the ornament. Your child's fingers prints become the bases for your snowmen. Then let the child go to work painting on hats, scarves, carrot noses, buttons, etc. 

 Christmas ornaments can be made out of practically anything! The saying really is true that you can turn your trash into a treasure. Here are just a few more examples of some ornaments we have made. 

Wishing you peace, love and holiday magic during this holiday season,

-Kendall-