Chocolate Isn't a Vegetable?

Puppies! No...not the kind that wreck your house, just the toy kind, but these little puppies do steal your heart just a little like real puppies do! These Pom-Pom puppies are super-easy to make! All materials needed, except for scissors, came in this awesome kit: While our puppies didn't turn out exactly like the ones pictured in the book, they were still so fun and easy to make! Boo and I made both of these pups in about 45 minutes. Once you get the hang of making the pom-poms and fluffing the puppies' fur, the possibilities for making your own unique Pom-Pom Puppies are endless!

Basil Everywhere! While the deer enjoyed a wonderful buffet, feasting on tomatoes, squash, and beans, they practically destroyed my garden. Thankfully, they somehow failed to notice the basil in my little herb corner! Now, I have tons of basil, which I decided to preserve for future use. At first I checked out this neat video on drying basil in the microwave (which works beautifully!):   However, I am not a fan of nuking food, so I looked for a method of drying herbs that did not take long, yet did also not use the microwave. Since I don't have a dehydrator (yet!) I decided to use the oven to dry the basil.  After harvesting the basil, I added it to a bowl full of cold water mixed with one tablespoon of white vinegar to clean the leaves. After letting the basil sit for five minutes, I rinsed off the leaves and set them on paper towels to dry for one hour: Basil drying Next, I spread the basil leaves on a rack on a cookie sheet and put this in the oven on ...

Carrying a backpack all day can leave  shoulders aching. Rice pillows that can be heated in the microwave are a great way to relieve that pain. Put small heart-shaped rice pillows into your little ones' coat pockets to keep little hands toasty during fall and winter! To create a washable case for your rice pillow, sew a fabric rectangle or square (right sides together) on three sides. Fold 1/2 inch of fabric back on the open side and stitch around the edge of the fold. Turn the case inside out and it's ready to hold our rice pillow. To create the rice pillow, sew any shape of fabric (right sides together) on three sides. Turn inside out and sew the third side shut, leaving a small opening to fit a funnel. Fill the pillow with rice until if feels full, but not tight, then sew the opening shut. To heat the rice pillow, place it in the microwave and heat in 15-20 second intervals until desired warmth is achieved. Slide the rice pillow into the case and apply to aching muscles...

For Preschoolers: Playing with coins is an easy and fun way to practice counting and sorting! Your preschooler will learn new vocabulary when you explain to him what each of the coins is called, talk about their characteristics, and the characters represented on them.Make sure to supervise your little one closely while playing with coins as they can be a choking hazard! For Babies (consider using pudding made with non-dairy milk for little ones with allergies): Spray about three tablespoons of whipped cream on your child’s high chair tray, letting her explore the texture (and flavor!) of the whipped cream. Explain to her that it feels sticky, is white, feels soft etc. to build her vocabulary while she engages all five senses to explore. Add more whipped cream as needed, and draw and name the basic shapes for her! Have fun!

Harry Potter Birthday Party inspired by Sweet & Simple ... "The Great Hall"  Honeydukes Candy Shop  Schoolsupplies (Pens taped to feathers from AC Moore, and notebooks with Hogwarts Crest).  Every wizard needs a sidekick...  Felt Flags with paper HP House Crests added to each.  Herbology (painting flowerpots and planting seeds)  Olivanders (easy diy wand tutorial here ) Platform 9 3/4

Whisk together 2 cups of baking soda, 1 cup of cornstarch, and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a sauce pan. Continue whisking slowly while heating the mixture on medium high. Remove from heat when mixture has the consistency of mashed potatoes. Cool, then knead on a counter dusted with cornstarch. Add more cornstarch as needed until the mixture is no longer sticky. Food coloring may be added (to make green penguins and such). Let dry for at least twenty-four hours before painting. *Work with small batches of dough at a time, storing the rest of the dough in an container covered loosely with a damp paper towel.

One of the treats I make each Christmas is peppermint and white chocolate bark. It is super easy to make and delicious! Here's how: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Crush 12 candy canes. Melt 8 oz of white chocolate (wafers or baking bar) in the microwave, stirring every thirty seconds until melted. Add one teaspoon of peppermint extract and the crushed candy canes and mix. Quickly spread this mixture on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet to create a layer about 1/4 of an inch thick. Refrigerate for at least half an hour, then, break into pieces and serve! You can also melt a cup of milk chocolate chips or wafers and quickly spread on top of the bark before breaking it apart. Just refrigerate for another 30 minutes after adding the chocolate. Enjoy!