Summer Time Craft

Hello Everyone,
Hope your summer is coming along nicely.
I've been loving the wildflowers we planted
in our garden this year.

The flowers were the inspiration for my
Whisker Graphics Design Team project
this month.

A little flower shaped treat pouch.

Don't these colors just scream summer.....?

I chose to work with the new Horizontal Stripe Middy Bitty Bag
in orange.

After tracing out the design of the pouch cut out the center
of the flower, and slip in a glassine Middy Bag.

Begin sewing leaving enough room to fill the center of the
flower with some treats.

I choose to fill my flower treat pouch with chocolate covered
sunflower seeds.

Yum....... my families favorite summer time treat.

After the flower is all full of seeds sew the opening closed,
cut away the excess bag. And you are left with a cute little
treat pouch.

Don't ya just LOVE glassine bags.........

....... the transparency!

These little treat pouches would be a super
cute party favor. Or tuck them into a lunch or
perhaps your child's backpack as they are
headed to camp. I think I'm going to put this
into a friends mail box, for no special reason
just to say hi and happy summer.

Supplies:

Whisker Graphics Middy Bitty Bags & Glassine Middy Bags
Sewing machine and thread
Scissors
Candy

DIY Bathroom Remodel Part 3

We are still in the bathroom remodeling process
around here. We took a few weekends off to do
some fun things with the kids and to host my
youngest 2nd birthday.

BUT,  progress we are a making!  ;)
That is a new door hung the proper way.
No longer opening into the toilet.

The tub has been installed. The walls are
insulated and a vapor barer installed. We raised
the window.... so the neighborhood would
no longer see us showering. Let's just say the
old window was framed in a little low.

We covered everything up with sheetrock.
NOT just regular sheetrock, as was the problem
with our old bathroom. In the tub area we used
Densglass. For the rest of the room we used a
special moisture barrier sheetrock.

This is the corner of the bathroom where the
potty was. Now it will be home to a vintage
dresser turned into a vanity.

I can't wait.....!

The potty was moved next to the tub.
This allowed us to have the door swing open
the correct way, without hitting the toilet.

All of this "spaghetti" you see in the attic allowed us to add
an exhaust fan, move the heater duct to a better spot, add two
pot lights, and a chandelier.

It was important to me that all the electrical was
able to be controlled separately. I think the extra
work is really worth the effort.  After all it isn't
necessary for all the lights to be on at the same
time or, the fan to come on every time one goes
into the bathroom.

If you have taken a peek at the other bathroom
posts you may remember the linen closet
turned half-bath.

We replaced the tiny linen closet door with
a 30" door and swung it the opposite way
of how it was. The relationship with this door
and the bedroom door next to it flows better
this way.

Now for a peek inside.

Yes......, that is tape holding the toilet tank
cover together. Ohhhh, the spoils of the DIY!
The register cover fell and cracked the tank,
$135.00 down the toilet....... literally!  ;)
Can't make an omelet with out breaking a few eggs.
We still have the corner sink to add. So, we have
been going threw lots of bottles of hand sanitizer
as we make our way to the kitchen for a proper
hand washing.  ;)

We have two parties to go to this weekend.
We are still hoping texture and paint.

Wish me luck.....!

Fourth of July Candy Container

This was a 10 minute craft... super easy !!
A fun craft to do with kids too!!

Firecracker candy (or snack) containers.

I'm filling them with popcorn and giving

them to my kids to keep them occupied as we

wait for the fireworks to begin.

If you are interested in making some you

will need....

Diagonal Striped Bigger Bittty Bags

Crystal Light containers

Glue sticks and hot glue

Scissors and an craft knife

Ribbons and trims

Cut the bag open length wise and wrap around the container.

Just make sure not to cover the lip at the top of the container.

If the lip gets covered the lid will no longer open easily.

Once the lid is covered poke a hole in the center to feed

a "wick" threw.

I would suggest adding a drop of glue to the ends of your

wick pieces. This will help them to hold their shape and keep

from unraveling. Also, tying a knot in one end will help

to stay secure.

Now one could get pretty crazy adding bits of trim or patriotic

novelties to these. I chose to keep mine pretty simple.

Just adding a few little trim pieces.

The best part about using the Crystal Light

containers for this craft is the "pop" noise they

make when they are opened.

This would be a fun craft to do with kids the morning

of the Fourth. Although, expect this ten minute craft to become

a slightly longer project.  ;)

Happy 4th of July!

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Oh...yum!
These were amazing..... if I do say so myself.

I use this jazzed up box cake mix recipe a LOT!
It's really easy and really good and a time saver too.

1 box chocolate cake mix
1 box instant chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream, I have used plain yogurt
as a substitution. Works just as well.
1 cup vegetable oil.
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water BUT, I use coffee.
It helps to bring out the chocolate flavor.
Mix everything together.

This is optional but, I fold in 2 cups of mini
chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 or 30 minutes.

Once the cakes are cool, hollow out the centers. For this task I
like to use a small melon baller or an apple corer. Then
fill the cakes with  salted caramel sauce from these guys.
It IS the best around!

Frost with chocolate ganache.
12 oz chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
Bring cream to boil.
Pour over chocolate, mix until you have smooth lovely
glistening liquid chocolate. Place in refrigerator until set.
Once cakes are frosted drizzle them with more Trader Joe's
salted caramel sauce, then sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bet ya can't eat just one.  ;)

Come check out all the fun at Be Different Act Normal.
I've been asked to join a blog hop over at Adorned From Above,
come check out the fun!

Strawberry Spinach Bread

Look at all those garden fresh rubies.

It's hard to believe that four strawberry plants
have turned into this whole bead. I don't use
fertilizer or pesticides.

So, these guys are really helpful at keeping
the bugs away.

AND, they are so much fun to see around
the garden too!

All the hard work the ladybugs did in the

strawberry bed this year has left us with a

ton of berries.

So, I got to experiment with a few and came

up with Strawberry Spinach Bread.

Why spinach, you ask??? I'm evil and I like

to get back at my children by sneaking

vegetables into their treats. HA!

In a large bowl cream together,

1/2c. melted butter

1c. sugar

1-1/2t. lemon extract

1t. vanilla extract

1/4c. milk

1 egg

1-1/2c. strawberries pureed

1c. processed spinach

Add the wet ingredients to the dry.

2c. wheat flour

1T. or 2T. ground flax seed

1t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4t. salt

Once combined fold in

1/4c. diced strawberries

1/2c. slivered almonds

AND if you so desire 1c. white chocolate chips

I like baking in mini pans, it makes freezing 

and portion control really easy.

This recipe filled four mini bunt pans nicely.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Yum

Love the flavors and texture.

Almonds add a nice bite and you don't taste the

spinach. Just lemon and strawberry.

Most important my kids like it. Confession, non made it to

the freezer. They snacked on it all week. ;)

Thanks to the ladybug and all their hard work. We'll be berry

pick-en in the backyard all season.

Come check out all the fun at Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons and

Be Different Act Normal.

I've been ask to link up over at Just Winging It come check out the fun!