Happy Independence Day!

Patriotic Red, White, and Blue Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box white cake mix
• Ingredients called for on box mix (water, vegetable oil and egg whites)
• Red food coloring
• Blue food coloring
• 1 container white frosting 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. 
2. Generously grease a tube/bundt cake pan. 
3. Make batter as directed on box, using water, oil and egg whites. 
4. Pour 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl; stir in red food coloring until well mixed. 
5. Pour another cup of the batter into a seperate bowl; stir in blue food coloring until well mied
6. Pour red cake batter into bottom of pan. 
7. Carefully pour remaining white batter over the red batter in the pan. 
8. Carefully pour the blue batter over the white batter. 
9. Bake as directed on the box. 
10. Cool cake (usually 5-10 minutes)
11. Meanwhile, place a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Turn tube/bunt cake pan upside down onto cooling rack . Cool cake completely (about 30 minutes).
12. After the cake is completely cooled, divide frosting evenly into 3 microwaveable bowls. 
13. Microwave 1 bowl of frosting uncovered on high a few seconds until smooth enough to drizzle over cake (I did about 10 seconds)
14. With a spoon, drizzle all of the white frosting back and forth around cake in a striping pattern. 
15. Repeat microwaving second bowl of frosting until smooth. Stir in a few drops of the blue food coloring until well blended. 
16. Drizzle over cake, moving the spoon back and forth. 
17. repeat with remaining bowl of frosting and red food coloring. 
18. let cake stand at room temperature until frosting is set. 
19. Store covered (I put on a plate and covered it with an upside down large bowl)

Happy Father's Day

These cute cards were a hit among the daycare families that I couldn't resist making one for my husband and my father as well.

Materials Needed:

• Patterned scrapbook paper 
• Scissors
• Glue Stick 
• Matching buttons 
• Pen (to write a personal message inside)

Butterflies

I was in need of a quick craft for my daycare kiddos and was having a hard time coming up with something so I pulled out my craft bin. This is what we came up with...

Materials Needed:

• Construction paper of various colors. We used blue, purple, red, pink, and green. 
• Scissors
• A template (and pencils. I cut one out and had the older children trace and cut their own pieces out. I cut additional pieces for the younger kids)
• Glue sticks
• Googly eyes 
• Pipe cleaners (and tape, used to secure the pipe cleaner inside)
• Stapler (after the kiddos glued the rolled construction paper, I secured the rolled paper with two staples)

Pickle Things

Pickle Things, Alligator Eyes, Pickle Pinwheels....call them whatever you want....just know they are delicious! I can't think of a holiday in the past 5 years that I haven't been requested to make these. I have now perfected the art of making these yummy treats! Note: for the best flavor combination do not substitute any brand other than what is mentioned below!!

Ingredients:

• 1 jar Claussen mini dill pickles (found in the refrigerated case)
• 2 packages Philadelphia cream cheese
• 4 packages Budding pastrami

Directions:

1. Gather the above mentioned ingredients. Leave the 2nd package of cream cheese in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it (you do not want the cream cheese to come to room temperature, keeping it cold will help it to adhere to the pastrami better). 
2. Gather a butter knife (for spreading cream cheese), a steak knife (to cut the pickle things), a cutting board, paper towel (can get messy), and serving platter or Tupperware (if you aren't planning to serve them right away). 
3. Open package of pastrami and lay one flat on the cutting board. Using the butter knife take a small amount of the cream cheese and slather across the pastrami (thinkness is up to you). Take a pickle out of the jar and wrap/roll the cream cheese covered pastrami around it. Set aside. Take another piece of pastrami and slather that one with cream cheese as well. Retrieve the pastrami wrapped pickle and roll the 2nd piece of pastrami around it. Repeat with remainder of pickles, pastrami and cream cheese until you run out.
4. Depending on if you plan to eat them now or store for later as to what the next step will be. If you plan to eat now: cut the ends off each side and set aside (don't worry they won't go to waste - if someone is around they always get eaten right away - otherwise you can store them and eat them later - for presentation purposes I don't set these out with the other ones). Then cut the rolled pickle into equal parts (I usually get 4-5 little coin pinwheels off one pickle). If you don't plan to serve them right away, just put them in an airtight Tupperware in the refrigerator until you do serve them (for freshness you will want to serve them within 24 hours of making them). 
5. Enjoy!

DIY Projects

Serving Tray Re-Do 

I'm always looking to re-use or re-purpose things that I have found. This project is no exception. I was given for free an octagon shaped dark wood serving tray after it didn't sell on a garage sale my in-laws were having. My mother-in-law asked if I wanted it. At the time I had no use for it, but decided to take it anyway. Well, it has sat in my basement on my end table for the past year. I kept looking at it... trying to decide if I wanted to re-paint it. But I couldn't decide or commit to what I'd want it too look like. Then I got a wonderful idea...Michael's Craft store was having a sale on their scrapbook paper. So I decided to pick up a few sheets of paper and mod-podge the paper into the center tray portion. I wound up using two sheets of 12x12 paper, cutting them like a puzzle to fit inside. Then using a paint brush painted a thin layer of the mod-podge down, laid the paper on top, and then applied another thin layer of mod-podge on top. Here is the end result:

Baby Hat Shadow Box:

Who doesn't love craft stores and their awesome discounts and sales? I know this girl does! When I was at Michael's purchasing my scrapbook paper for the tray project mentioned above. I found that their shadow boxes were on sale for a good price. I had also gone armed that day with a coupon for 40% off my entire purchase of goodies. So I decided to get me a shadow box! I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do, but had been looking at some ideas on pinterest's website the past few weeks. So I knew I could do something with it. As soon as I got home, I knew what I wanted to do. It was a quick and easy project and I love, love, love looking at it every time I go into my daughters room. I took her baby hat she received while at the hospital and pinned it inside. I then hopped onto my computer and whipped up a quick little note that says "Audrey Campbell Weers, January 7, 2011, 7:25 PM, 5 lbs, 14 oz * 18 inches". I then glued it to the front side of a piece of pretty scrapbook paper and then attached that inside the shadow box. I then asked my husband to hang it on the wall in her room (he's better at hanging things than I am). Here is the finished project:

Kitchen Knife Block Embellishment/Monogram:

I have been wanting to do a kitchen makeover ever since we purchased our house five years ago. But just haven't been able to do it yet (maybe this will be the year). So I've been looking at little ways to do a mini-makeover until we can replace the counter tops and floor. After looking on pinterest for some ideas, I came across several ways to dress up the knife block/holder. Since this sits out on the counter all year I thought I'd give it a try. I found the monogram ones were quite cute! So I decided to do it that way. I was lucky enough to receive a Cricut for Christmas so I knew it would make the letter "W" for Weers just fine. I just had to decide what material to use and what font I wanted. I picked up a roll of vinyl made for Cricut projects at Michael's craft store, picked out my font, and let the machine do the work. All I had to do was peel and stick it on. Best part is if something splatters on it, it can easily be wiped down. Also can be easily removed without leaving any marks ... that way if I want to redo it, make something different, or sell it...it will easily come off! 

Monogram Wood Block Letter:

I decided my daughters room could use a monogrammed block letter! Not sure how I came to this decision, I just know I did! I used one sheet of another piece of scrapbook paper and the letter "A" wood I also purchased on sale at Michael's to do this project (see tray project above). I started by flipping the sheet of 12x12 scrapbook paper over, placed the letter upside down and traced around it using a pencil. I then cut along the traced line. Using a paint brush and mod-podge, I applied a thin layer to the front of the letter "A". Then lined up the sheet of paper to the front and applied another thin layer on top of that. After it dried, I used an knife to cut off any pieces of the paper that hung over the side. Here is the end result:

Happy Spring!

Here are a few fun crafts I made with my daycare kiddos (ages 2-4).

Flower Pens for Mom and/or Dad:

Materials needed:

• Pens (I got a package on sale and with a coupon for free!) 
• Green floral tape (used up the sides)
• Scissors or wire cutters (to cut stems to the right length)
• Flowers (I purchased in a bunch at the Dollar Tree for $1/bunch). 

This project was simple, fun, and easy for the kids!

Happy Spring Cards:

Materials needed:

• Construction Paper (various colors - we used orange, purple, blue, yellow and green)
• Glue stick 
• Scissors
• Markers
• Medium size colored rhinestones (purchased at a craft store for not much money, have a flat back so it's easy to glue onto paper)

For my littlest kiddos I cut out the flowers, stems and leaves. The older kids traced one I had made on card stock then cut them out. The kids loved doing the gluing. While we glued we talked about the different parts of the flowers, paying attention to where the parts are located (ex. stems are on the bottom, leaves come out of the stems, etc). We also looked at some real plants in the yard that were just emerging from the ground and talked about what we were seeing! 

Get Well Soon Card

Recently I have made several of these cute cards for those I know recovering from surgery or just feeling under the weather. I also made one with one of my little daycare kiddos (age 3) for her mother who fell and broke her foot. She had a blast making it and took so much pride in it when she gave it to her mother! The best part is is that it's quite simple! But some adult assistance is needed when working with little ones (see note below).

Materials used:

• White (or colored) card stock - cut to your desired length, then folded in half to make a card
• 2 band-aids (I used two cheap off brand ones - know one really knows the difference). 
• A colored maker
• 4 small googly eyes 
• Hot glue (here is where the adult assistance comes in!)