Pot of Gold Cupcakes

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In looking for a little something to give mom’s at our playgroup St. Patrick’s Day party, I decided a little sweetness would be perfect.

Again, I love Pinterest for the inspiration.  I found some cute cupcakes out there.  Like…..

via:  A Little Nosh

Isn’t that a visual beauty?

Yeah, I thought so too!

Spinach in a cupcake?  My little non-vegetable picky eating 2 year-old will never….

Well, I was wrong.  He loves them.

Now admittedly I first tried her recipe, but it didn’t work for me here at altitude (Colorado) and was just a little too dense with a uncooked middle.

So then I decided to try her inspiration’s recipe.  You can find the recipe here at Green Lite Bites.

It is so easy a boxed cake mix, applesauce, and spinach.  Knowing that I can alter boxed mixes well enough for my altitude was a good bet.

So here you have it.

A whole 4 cups of raw baby spinach that tastes like applesauce!

Now I have healthy, green, tasty, cupcakes.

Let’s make it cute!

A few rainbow candies from the dollar spot at Target.  A bag of Cinnamon-Bun Marshmallows and some vanilla frosting is all you need.

A little bag, shredded green packing and some ribbon and you have a cute little Pot of Gold sweetness to give.

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Night Owl Crafting

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Bear Rabbit Bear

Just a Little Creativity

Living Life Intentionally

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

Green Playdoh

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We needed some gifts for our play group’s St. Patrick’s party that we were going to.  I wanted for the children’s gift to be something that my 2 year old would love to help make.

After a little Pinterest inspiration, I decided that homemade green playdoh would be perfect for a bunch of little ones.

I knew I didn’t have time for a full rainbow, but the green playdoh would be a great way to make our first batch in the time frame we had.  I decided to use Meet the Dubiens' Kool-Aid Playdoh recipe. 

I figured completely edible, but might not taste so great. 

I was right!

I had everything in the pantry except some Kool-Aid.  So I picked up some Lemon Lime Kool-Aid mix.

Follow the recipe just as I did here.

To package it cute for our party, I bought these cute little canisters for $0.99 at Michaels.

 

Then a little green shredded packing and cute ribbon to create the perfect little Green St. Patrick’s Day Playdoh.

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Living Life Intentionally

DIY Thrifty Repurposed Jewelry Tray

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I love thrift store finds that find a new purpose and life.

I knew when I found this mancala board game tray that it would be great on a dresser to hold jewelry or other necessities.

Remember, I can be too anxious and forget before pictures. So this is the best that I could do, a “half” before picture.

I decided to spray paint it heirloom white.

Then I rubbed an antiquing glaze on.

I thought a few handles would make it look more tray-like. So, I pre-drilled holes for the handles since the end of the board was narrow and I didn’t want it to split. Then to accommodate the screws on the bottom of my board and prevent any surface scratching, I added a felt pad to each corner.

So pretty and so useful. I love having my most used jewelry and lip gloss organized and pretty right on top of my dresser.

I’m sharing here:

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Under the Table and Dreaming

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Night Owl Crafting

Lil Luna

Adventures of a DIY Mom

House of Hepworths

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My Re-Purposed Life

The Shabby Nest

Just a Little Creativity

Lolly Jane Boutique

Positively Splendid

Ruler Growth Chart

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No doubt you may have seen this somewhere before. I found my inspiration on Pinterest. They were PB knock-offs. Truth be known, when I found the PB original, I preferred the knock-offs! They were cuter and more rustic looking, in my humble opinion.

So, I set out to get my wood and make a memory for our family.

• Buy a nice smooth finished 1x8 6ft. board.
• Next stain the board the color of your choice (mine is Minwax Provencial).
• After your stain dries, place a sawtooth picture hanger on the back top center of the board.
• Hang on the wall where you would like.
• Using a tape measure, measure from the floor up on your board (while it is hanging on the wall) and mark the first inch where the tape meets the board and each inch up to 1 foot.
• Next take the board off of the wall and lay on floor or flat surface to make your work easier. Line your tape measure back up and continue to mark each inch and foot mark throughout the entire board.
• Then paint your lines and numbers. (I used a ruler to have straight lines and a Sharpie oil based paint marker. I marked each inch mark 1.5 inches long and each foot mark 3 inches long. Lastly, I added the numbers with a stencil.)
• Then re-hang your ruler and to avoid it being loose, moveable, or swinging on the wall place a 3M command Velcro fastener to the back on each side.
• The ruler is accurate and can be used while hanging. To mark a child’s growth you can write on the board with a Sharpie on the front, side, or back.

It is my new favorite 1 year old gift to give our friends with a small toy, of course.

Where I’m sharing:

Skip To My Lou

Under the Table and Dreaming

Tip Junkie

Night Owl Crafting

Lil Luna

House of Hepworths

Bear Rabbit Bear

Just a Little Creativity

Living Life Intentionally

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

My Repurposed Life

Lolly Jane Boutique

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Positively Splendid

Adventures of a DIY Mom

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Train Table

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We have officially entered our train phase! 

We contemplated a train table this past Christmas, but didn’t think we were ready yet.  My how things change quickly with a little one growing.  We suddenly are ready and run around the house singing “Chuggington…..” and yelling “Ride the Rails.”

I found a blog after wasting some time on Pinterest that I really liked.  Lindsay at Country Girl Home.

First, I found her entry and loved it knowing it was exactly what I wanted (more to come on that later).  As I began to wander around her blog I found the cutest train table that she built her little ones. 

So I am not proud or always innovative, just crafty!  Why fight something that you already like, right?

Here is our version.

We built the frame very similar.

Our wood buy list:

2 – 2x4 8 ft. long (doubled up and used for legs, because cheaper than 4x4)

2 – 1x4 6 ft. long (for frame)

1 – 2ft. x 4ft. 1/4 inch smooth finished plywood

The table was built by screwing 2 2x4’s together at the top and the bottom as shown in the pictures above.  I then turned the screws to the inside of the table and screwed each side of the frame to the legs with two screws just as the arrow shows in the picture above.  I made sure to drop the top of the legs 1.5 inches inside the frame to allow for a lip on the table when completed.

Then I took a pencil sketched some flowing  lines to paint a road, lake, river, and hills.

Acrylic paint from Michael’s and a foam brushes made this so much easier than it was in my mind.  I sealed the top with a satin varnish in the same acrylic paint line.  I am so glad that I did this to withstand the wear of trains and cars as well as making the table top wipeable!

Then to place the top on the table frame, it was simply set inside the frame with Liquid Nails placed on the top of the legs to hold it all together.

I have been shocked how much attention this little table gets and how much fun it gives!

Where I’m sharing:

Skip To My Lou

Under the Table and Dreaming

Tip Junkie

Night Owl Crafting

Lil Luna

House of Hepworths

Bear Rabbit Bear

Just a Little Creativity

Living Life Intentionally

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

My Repurposed Life

Lolly Jane Boutique

Fingerprints on the Fridge

Positively Splendid

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Just a Little Creativity

The Gift of Sweet Memories

Handmade gifts…..I love them!

Personalized canvas art….oh so simple.

We have two grandparent birthdays right in the middle of the holidays season so we have to think of gifts for several occasions. 

Our grandparents love handmade gifts. 

Shhh, don’t tell them I shared…..but it is really sweet when grandpa or grandma gets a picture made just for them and the other gets jealous and puts a request in that they would love something like that.

We recently went to visit and little guy was able to take his first ride in the boat on the coast.  Grandpa and Grandma love to fish and crab.  So what better to give Grandpa than the memory of this little guy doing something so special with them.

How did I do it:

1. Paint the canvas a solid complementary color.
2. Print pictures. (I used a 8x10 and 4x6)
3. Choose a scrapbook paper that works with your theme and rip the edges back to front.  This will leave white edges around your paper.
4. Ink edges of paper is desired.
5. Mod Podge paper onto canvas and coat once on top.
6. Mat pictures on cardstock and embellish. 

This can easily be done in a day.

Allow each wet step 15-20 minutes to dry.

(I  placed 8x10 flat and used foam adhesive to raise the 4x6.  I found 3 coordinating fibers and stapled to each side of the picture tying a bow where they met on the front.  “Precious memories” was a rub-on.  I made two tags with some journaling and again adhered with foam adhesive to give dimension)

He is going to love it and I am sure Grandma will too!

Don’t forget little ones can help with many of these steps, and they will be so proud of what you create together.

I am linking up here, go by and check out all the fun!

Living Life Intentionally

Bear Rabbit Bear

Tater Tots and Jello

Simple Ribbon Stand

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I needed a solution for containing spools of ribbon.

I first got my inspiration from Sew Many Ways.  You have to check out her series called Tool Time Tuesday.  She thinks of so many clever uses for things found at hardware stores as well as recycling.  So the inspiration was to use the 12 inch spikes found at a hardware store to hold spools of ribbon.

(similar to this)

{can be found on the same aisle as nails and screws}

I bought three 12 inch spikes for a very nominal amount.  For a while, I just stacked my ribbon on them.  However, with little guy now running around and climbing I can’t take the chance that one might fall.

So my solution was to make them part stable and steady!

All I needed was:

• Scrap piece of wood
• 3 – 12 inch spikes
• Drill
• Hammer
• Felt pads

1. Cut scrap piece of wood to 12 inches in length
2. Find center of board and make a mark at 2 inches, 6 inches, and 10 inches.
3. Drill a hole about the same diameter as the spike.
4. Paint board and finish as desired.
5. Use hammer and tap spikes through the holes.
6. Place felt pads on each corner of the bottom.
7. Stack ribbon spools on spikes and enjoy.

My finish was Rust-oleum’s 2x coverage heirloom white spray paint with Valspar Asphaltum antiquing glaze .

The felt adhesive pads help prevent scratches, allow stand to sit evenly, prevents need to countersink spike heads.

And here she is in her home.

(Sorry craft room doesn’t have natural light for photo)

How do I keep the ribbon from unraveling?

pearl push pins

Cute, simple, and easy to use!

I’m linking up here:

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Home Stories A2Z

Blue Cricket Design

Lil Luna

House of Hepworths

Between U & Me

Momnivore's Dilemma

Sew Many Ways

Designer Garden

Bear Rabbit Bear

My Repurposed Life

Chic on a Shoestring Decorating

The Shabby Next

Tater Tots and Jello

Oven Roasted Salted Pumpkin Seeds

Who knew such yumminess existed?

I have always discarded them!

Who knew they were so good for you?

Who knew they were called pepitas?

Well I don’t know where I have been all my life, but it just changed today with my first pumpkin seed experience!

I followed this easy recipe by Petit Elephant.

They are delicious!

I can’t wait to search and find some sweet and spicy variations.

My little pepitas,  I will never discard you anymore

Snow Cream

Last year, I said…when it snows next year!

Then a friend of mine reminded me that one of my to-do’s was to make snow cream.  Growing up in Florida, I have had to wait until an adult age to make snow cream.  I don’t have a childhood memory of this, but even better I think little guy and me will have this memory together.

So now that my yard looks like this,

I went out and got some fresh snow.

Then I turned it into this sweet white fluffiness.

And now I have some sweetness in my freezer.

I am sure that there are many recipes out there on how to make snow cream, but I just went with my friends advice as a place to start.

1. Gather snow in a bowl
2. Add milk to the consistency that you prefer
3. Add sugar and vanilla to taste

Then enjoy!  It is so good!

Breakfast Burritos

So there are times during the year when I look like this.

And this coming week is one of those times.

{as a matter of fact, I am leaving as soon as I finish this}

Yes, I love hunting.

So we are in the woods during archery and rifle season.  Since little guy came along we go both seasons so that we can trade off hunting with little guy duty.  This year rifle season again is my turn to hunt and little guy gets to hang out with daddy.  Oh…of course we all go and camp, little guy is just still too small to actually be still or quiet. 

So to make our week a little more relaxing, I usually cook some things ahead.

Breakfast burritos are something that is easy, handy, warm, portable, and so yummy.

I have received many compliments before and they are so easy….

So here is a tutorial that is so simple

{with lots of pictures}

I have not given measurements or amounts as this is super easy to adjust to the amount you prefer.

Fry some potatoes

{I peel, microwave or bake them ahead, and then cube}

Brown and drain sausage

(or any breakfast meat that you prefer)

{any kind works, I am using antelope sausage}

Scramble eggs

Combine potatoes, sausage, and eggs with shredded cheddar cheese

Then my secret sauce….

{yes, it is that easy.  I hope to learn to make green chile in the future, but for now this works}

Add sauce

Mix

It is good enough to eat this way, but….

Have you ever had fresh tortillas?

I will never buy tortillas in the grocery store again.

Gather your tortillas, foil, pan, and mixture.

Place some of your mixture on a tortilla.

Roll the center of the tortilla over the mixture and fold both sides in before rolling.

Fill you pan, warm in the oven and enjoy.

We will certainly love taking these out and eating while we are camping in the colder weather.