A Day In My Life

I put together this simple centerpiece for Valentine's Day. Hopefully, I'll get some real flowers to replace the fake ones on the 14th. Anyway, if you want to put one together, here's the how-to: 1. Get two vases: one a little thinner than the other, and both about the same height. Set the smaller one inside. 2. While holding the smaller vase in place, pour conversation hearts in the space between the vases. You could also use red hots for an all red display. (Or get creative.. you could use this idea for just about any holiday and small candy.) 3. Add water and flowers. Or just fake ones. :) *Disclaimer* You might want to purchase the candy this year for next's year's display. The stale candy might not slowly disappear.

While I was at Target to find a new garbage can that is Harvey-Proof, I walked past a Valentine display with cups, plates, bowls, and other festive tableware. One design caught my eye and I had to tell myself that one (or eight) Valentine salad plates would NOT be used enough to justify the purchase or the storage space. But then I started envisioning one of the said salad plates propped up on a stand, and decided that a homemade tile would look more classy than a plastic plate. I snapped a photo of the plate with my phone, then came home and whipped up a picture in Photoshop. And because I think it's so adorable, I decided to share it so you could make one for yourself. What you need for this project: Mod Podge 12 x 12 inch ceramic tile (just get the cheapest one.. it will be covered up) My Valentine photo (make sure it's professionally printed - home computer prints wont work) Sanding block Exact-o knife 1. Start by putting a generous amount of Mod Pod...

I know I say this every month, but I can't believe how old my baby is!!! Regardless, I had a ton of fun planning his first birthday party. I made three of these felt garlands: For each garland, I used one "page" of felt in each color (yellow, blue, red, green and sparkly white). I traced circles about 2 inches in diameter so there were 20 circles on each felt sheet. After cutting them out, I just lined them up and sewed one straight line down the center. No pinning.. because I hate pinning. I added a little ribbon on each side to help with hanging (but we just taped them to the windows anyway... sheesh.) My mom has a birthday banner made from cardboard (she bought it at a party supply store, and it doesn't sound cute, but it is.) Each year growing up I loved walking in the door after school to see that banner hanging for my birthday. I wanted something like that for each of my kids as well - something to make them feel special year after year. I saw ...

Those vegetable-eating children from Hidden Valley would move if they tasted this version: (After trying to take a photo of the ranch in my Kitchen Aid and failing miserably, I resorted to our taco salads...) 1 quart buttermilk 30 oz container of mayonnaise (or 2 quarts if you want it thicker) 2 teaspoons onion salt 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoons pepper 2 teaspoons dried parsley Add together. When adding the parsley rub it together in your palms to make it finer. Blend until smooth. Makes 2 quarts. Note: Compared to Hidden Valley Ranch, it's a pretty thin recipe. That's part of the reason why I love it... you can pour a little amount all over your salad, and you don't ever have any bites with tons of dressing. Regardless, if you like your ranch thick - add more mayo.

The girls loved making these... Needed: empty  egg carton scissors black paint / brushes hole punch black duct tape pipe cleaner (4 for each spider) BATTERY operated tea lights 1. Cut up your egg carton, so you have one "cup" for each spider. Paint the outside black and let dry. 2. Use the hole punch to punch out 2 "eyes" in the front, and 4 leg holes on each side. (Do them close or you wont fit 8 holes around the sides!) 3. Cut 4 pipe cleaners in half - one half for each leg. Poke one in each hole and secure it inside the egg carton with duct tape. Then bend to shape like a leg. 4. Once all your legs are attached, turn on your tea lights, set it inside your spider, and tape the bottom with duct tape to secure the light inside.

I found instructions to make a pinata on Familyfun.com . We decided to do the same design as the website had. I just used pages out of a phone book instead of newspaper - it was super easy. Messy - yes, but easy. We did three layers and let each one dry for about an hour in the sun and breeze. Then we used tissue paper to decorate it. I cut a hole in the top and punched holes for yarn to hang it. We think ours is cuter than the one on the website! So.. in hindsight I would have put more than 3 layers of phone book on our pinata. It wouldn't hang because the yarn just ripped through once candy was inside so I had to hold it while the kids took turns. Yeah. That sounds like a recipe for disaster. I didn't blindfold them for that reason. Each girl only got one turn, and by the last turn the pinata was broken. But they didn't care - all the girls wanted was the candy. And all Harvey wanted was the tissue paper.

So, I had a "great" recipe for homemade bubble solution. It said to include glycerin (I'm not even sure what that is exactly) and that I could find it for relatively cheap in a pharmacy. Well, I went to Smith's and Walmart, and the only glycerin they have is in capsule form as a LAXATIVE! Imagine the employee's faces when I asked if I could get 2 cups or more of it in liquid form. :) Anyway, someone told me to just add sugar (to help make the bubbles more "unpoppable") so I did. And it made bubble gel. Seriously. It barely poured out into the flat pan! I added more water and we made do. This contraption was a hit! It's called a Foamerator. All you do is cut off the end of a waterbottle, and attach an old rag (I cut mine into 4 squares) with a rubberband. Then just get the washcloth wet, dip it in the bubble solution and blow in the other end. It actually makes TONS of bubbles, but we all got so soapy I had to put the camera away. Try it!