Chocolate Isn't a Vegetable?

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!

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter on low heat in a medium size saucepan. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 tablespoon of baking cocoa. Next, add 1 cup of milk and whisk until almost smooth. Add 6 oz of milk chocolate chips and stir until a smooth chocolate sauce forms. In a blender, combine chocolate sauce, 5-6 pieces of ice, and 1 cup of milk. Blend until the mixture has a frappuccino-consistency, about 20 seconds. Pour into two tall classes, add whipped cream, and enjoy!

Tile coasters are easy and fun to put together and make wonderful gifts! Best of all, they are inexpensive and functional ! Here's what you'll need: Modge Podge (available at craft stores) 12x12 scrapbooking paper (scrap paper is fine too, you'll need 4x4 squares) 4x4 tiles (13 cents and up at home improvement stores) foam brush felt pads (any size, four per tile, found at Home Depot, Lowes etc.) clear acrylic spray Cut as many 4x4 pieces of scrapbooking paper as tiles. Using the foam brush, cover each tile with a thin layer of Modge Podge. Quickly press the paper unto the tile. Let the Modge Podge/paper dry for 15 minutes. Next, apply a thin layer of Modge Podge over the entire surface of the tile and paper. Let dry, then repeat. Finally, spray each tile with a thin layer of clear acrylic to seal. Add the felt pad to four corners of each tile and...Voila -water-resistant coasters that can be customized to match any season or decor!