I kind of feel like I can’t even call this a recipe or a homemade ice cream cake.  It is so simple and easy that I totally feel like it is cheating.  Especially when people are eating it and raving about how much they like it, it’s hard not to admit that is the simplest thing I have ever made.

I made this super easy ice cream cake for the first time for an after dinner treat last summer.  We were having a little family celebration and it seemed that it would make the perfect treat that the kids would love as much as the parents.  I was intrigued by the fact that it only took a few ingredients, and about five minutes to throw together.  I am SO glad that I gave this a try.  It was a huge hit, and I have made it many times to share with family and friends.  My mom even requested it for her birthday this year.  My family loves to celebrate birthdays with Dairy Queen Ice cream cakes, but this is now becoming the new birthday ice cream treat.  An added bonus is that it costs far less to make than a Dairy Queen cake, and can feed a crowd just the same.  I found this super easy recipe for a simple and delicious ice cream cake from  I’m A Mom Not A Professional.  I loved her step by step instructions, and this cake could be altered so many ways to suit your tastes!  I am a huge fan of the whoppers and adding colorful sprinkles to the top!  Here is how you can make one yourself!

You will need:

1 Box of whoppers

1 Box of ice cream bars

Cool whip

Chocolate sauce

I like to use an 8 by 8 glass baking dish to make my ice cream cake in.  A Package with 12 ice cream bars fits perfectly into that sized pan.

1. Layer the bottom of your pan with ice cream bars, cut to fit sides if you need to.

2.  Add a layer of Cool Whip

3.  Crush some whoppers (I use my magic bullet on the pulse setting) and sprinkle them over the Cool Whip

4.  Add some chocolate syrup over the whoppers

5.  Add another layer of Ice cream bars

6.  Add another layer of Cool Whip

7.  Add another layer of crushed Whoppers  (I also add some whole whoppers to the top)

8.  Add a pretty layer of chocolate syrup swirled over the top

9.  Add decorative sprinkles to match your occasion

I usually make these in advance before a party or get together and store them in the freezer covered in saran wrap.  The glass pan makes the cake easy to transport, and store leftovers, but doesn’t detract from how pretty the cake looks when it is all done.

This cake was a hit in my house, and I would bet it would be in yours too!  I can’t wait to give it a try using mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches, and experiment with other flavors.  You could really get crazy trying different combinations.  Anything from different chocolates or candies, caramel syrups, fruit syrups, chocolate or french vanilla dessert toppings, or fruit.  The possibilities are endless!

When I am making this as an after dinner treat for just our family of four I simply cut the recipe in half and make it in a glass loaf pan.  It is the perfect size for our little family, and easily stores the leftovers for another night.  If you have never attempted a homemade ice cream cake before, this is the way to do it, and no one needs to know how easy it was!  I’m anxiously awaiting a warm summer night to enjoy this cake again with my family.  It is the perfect way to end a summer day.

Being a Mother is by far the most amazing gift in my life.  I have changed so much since having children and have learned so many important life lessons.   Our little family has faced many difficult times since our children have arrived, but somehow our strength as a family unit and our faith has been only strengthened and magnified.  I always thought that I new what being really tired felt like, being heartbroken felt like, and what pure exhaustion, and patience was.  Well not at all actually, I was way off.  Those two beautiful babies quickly turned  life  upside down and completely changed the way that I lived mine.  It’s funny how quickly things change with the presence of a newborn in ones home, and how the things that you used to think were important quickly fade into memories.  Yes, children change things, but in the most surprising and amazing way.  Each and every day spent with my children is a precious gift to me.  I am so honored to be able to be called “mom” by them, and wouldn’t change one messy, noisy, exhausting second of it. Things rarely go as planned these days, and most days test my patience and ability to thrive in the chaos.  But, through that chaos my kids continually remind me what is really important.

Last week started out like any other.  The normal off to school, laundry, make three meals, clean up three meals kind of a week.  Then on  Thursday night into Friday morning we got some really bad storms.  The storms followed a good amount of rainfall in our area for the week already.  The night was long with the kids each taking turns coming into our room to sleep because of the thunder and lightning.  No big deal, it’s pretty normal for any parent with little ones to not get a good nights rest if there is a storm.  Then, the hubby and I woke about a little before 6 am.  He was to leave at 3 am, but the power must have gone out a few times at night leaving him 3 hours behind schedule.  So he rushed to get ready, and as he walked out the door I said “Hun, I hear water running!”  Sure enough I opened the basement door to see our basement filled with about two inches of water.  He shrugged his shoulders and sadly had no choice but to leave for work.  We talked on the phone and made a game plan that was not ideal, but would have to do.

As the kids strolled grumpily out of bad after a bad nights rest, I noticed my daughter had horribly red eyes, and she was crying because she couldn’t open them.  So, in a rush I got my son ready for school, and reluctantly called to make a Doctors appointment for my daughter.  All I could think of was the water sitting in our basement ruining everything and that I wasn’t doing a thing about it.  I just needed to let it sit until after my daughter got into the doctor.

Through the pouring rain, and terrible storms that day I dropped off overdue library books, , ran necessary errands, and got the word from the Doctor that my little girl had pink eye.  Ugh, really?  Why, how, today?  So we ran out of the Doctor’s office and arrived at the bus stop just barely making it back in time to pick my son up from school.  We headed to the pharmacy for medicine where I waited with two very crabby and hungry kids for a prescription.  My patience was also wearing thin between phone calls from the hubby about the water situation that I hadn’t had time to do anything about, a lack of sleep for myself, and a three year old who wasn’t feeling her best.  We finally made it home for lunch and I put the kids down for a nap.  I spent the next two hours hauling dripping wet linens, blankets, and toys up from the basement.  I did load after load of laundry.  I moved as much furniture as I could by myself and did the best I could.  I knew it was no place for the kids to be, and their nap time was my only chance to work on cleaning up the mess.

The kids woke up and I reluctantly stopped rescuing things from the basement.  The clouds were gone by this point and the sun was gloriously shinning in the afternoon sky.  We made and ate dinner and then went outside to do some barn chores.  The kids put on their galoshes and happily strutted to the barn with me.  Of course their day had been perfectly normal except for the pink eye, and all was well with the world.  That was a feeling that I could have used that day, but just couldn’t muster it.  I was cleaning stalls when my son came over to me and said, “Mom, you have got to see this, my sister is being really cute and funny!”  Well this I had to see!  Those weren’t words that I was used to hearing from his mouth at all!

I looked over on the hill to see her giggling and running with delight.  That sweet little girl had found a big puddle and turned a little puddle jumping into a huge mud pit.  She was wearing some little silky starred pajama bottoms and her pink galoshes, just splashing and jumping in the mud.  She was covered from head to toe.  I could see her sweet little white smile shinning through the mud caked on her face.

My mind stopped racing from the days events and I couldn’t help but smile and ask her what she was doing?  She looked back at me and said “I’m having fun… come on Mom!”, as she waved her little hand to coax me into the mud.  The sight of her little pink galoshes, pink nail polish, and shiny pants plopped in the mud puddle made me pause from the troubles of the day and just be happy.

My son looked at me with that “can I”  face and I instantly nodded, “Go for it buddy”!  I ran off to get my camera, thinking I never wanted to forget those sweet smiles they had on their faces.  By the time I got back both kids were covered in mud,  running, playing, and laughing like I had never seen.

There was no fighting, no complaining, no arguing.  Just the sound of pure childhood joy.  They were holding hands and jumping together in the mud for a good two hours.  A perfect sight to any Mommy’s eyes.  I sat the entire time snapping pictures of the fun and enjoying the simple splendor of my happy kids.  Yes, I had things I should have been doing, a lot of them, but they could wait!

It reminded me that each and every day doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful…

and to stop and enjoy the moment while it was happening.

We often get so busy with our lists of things that need to be done, work, school, house work, obligations, but these are the moments, and we need to cherish them.  I already know that I will miss these moments so dearly as my years wear on.  What a great lesson that my kids allowed me to see that day.  If not for them I would have busily gone through the day frustrated, and trying to get it all done without an ounce of joy in my actions.

My kids saw the simple joys in a rainy yucky day!  I had spent all morning grumbling about the things that were ruined, the time I didn’t have, and letting the stress that I felt ruin my day.  Becoming a parent always changes a person.  You become more responsible, more worried about others than yourself, and defiantly takes a toll on your energy level.  But becoming a parent really teaches you how to be a kid all over again and how to enjoy life through the innocent eyes of a child.  It makes you realize it’s wonders all over again.  I wish as adults, that we could all think like that from time to time.  Let me tell you, it is sure a whole lot more fun that way!

As the mud stopped flying the kids found a new puddle (more like a stream) that was more water than mud and began round two of the fun.  They spent another hour racing through the knee high water with vengeance.  Before I new it, they had convinced me that I needed to join them, and well …I sure did.  I put down the camera, took of my shoes, and held their hands as we raced through the water together.  It was exhilarating, and as much fun as I remember from my own childhood playing in the rain.  My husband arrived home after a long, 16ish hour day, of work and had nothing but a smile on his face at the site of his whole family drenched, barefoot, and smiling in the yard.

It was at that point that I realized the significance of that day for our family, and hope that I will never forget it.  My husband and I knew that as soon as the kids were in bed that we would spend the entire night in the basement, mopping, cleaning, vacuuming, and salvaging what we could in the basement, but it really didn’t matter one bit.  What’s one nights sleep in comparison to a lifetime together as a family.  Together, we would figure it out, and hold each others hands and something that we really didn’t want to do.  We got the kids all showered and tucked into bed and spent the rest of the night in the dark wet basement sweating as we vacuumed up the water and moving things around.  We managed to smile at each other and have a few laughs as we threw things away, and made the best of our only time together for the day.  I watched him in awe as he exerted every ounce of energy that he probably had left for the day.  Never once did he complain or even udder any kind of complaint about we spent our evening.  I wish I could be more like him in that sense instead of panicking and “freaking” out when things go wrong!  I am always impressed with his ability to handle things that don’t go right so well.

Our heads didn’t hit our own pillows until well after 2:00 in the morning, and you know what, I had a huge smile on my face as I thought about our day.  Thank God we had each other and that he gave us that day to be together.  Thank God for an amazing husband who graciously works and works and works without a complaint.  Thank God for two beautiful kids who remind me to stop and enjoy life.  Thank God for the mud, and the fun, and the rain, and for all of it, good or bad, because without it all, life wouldn’t be worth the dance.  I was proud of how well our little family managed to hold it together on a “bad” day, and that we managed to dance in the rain even though we really didn’t have time to.  The things that I have gathered from my own children are, by far the greatest and most powerful lessons I have learned.

I love the idea of filling a home with antique pieces and unique vintage items.  I’m not the type to have them from wall to wall, but I do love the character and warmth that a few simple pieces give to our home.

While perusing Pinterest one night I spotted a shabby chic antique chicken feeder used to hold dishes.  I knew instantly that I wanted one for my kitchen.  I loved the rusty industrial feel it had with the beautiful antique plates stored in it.  I spent a few months trying to find one on eBay, or at antique shops, but nothing that was even close to the one I first saw online.  I also came to the conclusion that if I actually did find what I wanted, that there is no way I would be willing to pay what they were asking for it at an antique shop.  I decided I would try my hand at creating an antique looking chicken feeder from a shiny new store bought feeder.

I purchased a new chicken feeder while getting horse feed at Fleet Farm.  I believe it was around $11.00, and had the right shape and style that I was looking for.  I did a little research and found a few different “recipes” or techniques for aging metals.  I first found this rusting recipe to make something look worn.  I tried it, but got no results at all.  I’m certain because my chicken feeder was galvanized metal that I needed a new technique.  The rusting recipe is, however, awesome for making clothes pins or safety pins looked aged, which I have done with it, but wasn’t giving me the results I was hoping for on my chicken feeder.

So on to attempt number two.  I also found out that regular old vinegar can age galvanized metal nicely.  The picture above shows the materials I used for my first attempt that didn’t work quite as well, but I wanted to show you the chicken feeder before it was “aged” so I included the picture anyway.  My second attempt was much more successful and even easier than the first.  This time I used my large plastic tote and dumped a 2 gallon container of distilled white vinegar into it.  Because I didn’t have enough to emerge the entire chicken feeder in the vinegar this process took me a couple of days.  I left the tote outside with the chicken feeder laying so that a large surface was in the vinegar for a good amount of the day, then I would just flip, and rotate it once in a while, until all of the feeder had been soaking in the vinegar.  I was amazed at how beautifully the feeder changed and aged into the perfect antique looking metal.  I used the plastic tote to ensure that my sink wouldn’t be ruined in case the vinegar and metal had some sort of reaction that would damage it.

So that is it!  If you want to make galvanized metal look aged, just soak it in distilled white vinegar until it has the appearance that you want.  The stamped looking finish will disappear completely and you get some beautiful rusty spots.  I was so pleased with how this turned out and adore it placed on my old sewing table that is right next to my kitchen sink.

In this photo you can see a spot in the center that must not have soaked long enough in the vinegar to change it.  That is the difference between the metal before and after which is pretty neat to see.  I decided to leave it because I liked the extra character that it added to the feeder.

The feeder works perfectly with dessert sized plates that fit snugly in between the metal triangles.  I love how pretty my simple white plates look against the rusty and aged metal feeder. The feeder is wonderfully sturdy and holds 8 plates with ease.  I use this mostly for drying my small plates and put a towel in the bottom of the feeder to collect water that drips from them.  I did not seal it and am worried it would rust further if I left water sitting it for some time.

This works so beautifully as a way to set out serving plates for get togethers, and looks simply adorable next to a dessert or hors d’oeuvre table.  Guests can easily grab a plate and fill it with all of the treats you have for them.

It makes the perfect silverware, napkin, and plate caddy as well, and I cannot wait to use it for our first barbeque of the summer.  It has the perfect little nooks for forks, spoons, knifes, napkins, plates, or even condiments.  Whatever you want organized beautifully with some shabby chic style  will look great in an aged chicken feeder.  I could even see the top opened and the bottom lined with paper and filled with popcorn or snacks for an outdoor movie night.

I have been contemplating making another one for my bathroom to organize brushes, hair stuff, and makeup.  There are a whole lot of neat things that I could do with this little chicken feeder throughout the house.  I would say, for the $13.50 that this cost me to make, that this antique looking chicken feeder will be well worth every penny.  Especially considering the price I would pay if I found a real antique feeder that fit the bill.  I’m sure it would be well over my $13.50 DIY project.  It is one of those things that I see and use everyday and I really love the way it adds a rustic and old world feel to our  kitchen!

Chalkboard Welcome Plaque

Simple monogram Wall Art

Appliqued Mom tattoo shirts for kids

Wrap up a gift for Grandma In paper painted by her Grandkids

Painted Pet Rocks For Grandma’s Garden

Magnetic Recipe Holder

Magnetic Photo Frame/ Inspirational Quote Board

Easy Coffee Filter Wreath

Personalized Photo Pillows

Magnetic Memo BoardI Love You Dry Erase Board

Cheap Large Scale Family Portrait

Adorable Ruffled Purse

Easy Plaid Infinity Scarf

DIY Burlap Wreath

Mr. And Mrs. Pillows

Ruffled Boot Socks

Simple Place Mat Pillows

Dry Erase Menu Board

Two Minute Jersey Infinity Scarf

Cake Stand/ Candy Dish From Dollar Store Dishes

Simple Mom To The Nth Bleach Pen T-shirt

Vintage Signs

Pharmacy

Farmers Market – Great For the Garden

Mason Jar Patio Lights

Canvas Quotes

]]> http://aspottedpony.com/diy/25-diy-mothers-day-gifts/2956/feed/ 0 http://aspottedpony.com/diy/chalkboard-welcome-and-message-plaque/2947/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chalkboard-welcome-and-message-plaque http://aspottedpony.com/diy/chalkboard-welcome-and-message-plaque/2947/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 14:05:40 +0000 Kim Bond http://aspottedpony.com/?p=2947 A can of chalkboard spray paint and an unused platter turn into a simple and useful welcome sign f or your home.  A delightful little chalkboard that can welcome guests, politely ask them to remove shoes, or greet your friends for a party.

I have always loved the possibility that chalkboard paint gives you, but I really love the idea of it in a spray form!  I picked up a can of Krylon chalkboard spray paint for a project and am positive I will never go back to the can and paintbrush method.  It goes on so smoothly, and quickly with no mess and no clean up.  With just one little can of paint I have already done three projects, with paint leftover for more.  This is one of those projects that I started just because i had everything on hand and was looking for a good way to use a pretty plaque that I had.  All I needed was my can of chalkboard spray paint, painters tape, an unused plaque or plate, plate hanger, and chalk for the finished project.

I used a decorative plate that I already had, but I’m sure you could find an array of these to choose from at goodwill if you don’t  have one.  You could use a serving charger, platter, plaque, or regular plate.  I used small pieces of painters tape to make a circle around the outside of the plate.  I wanted just the center of the plate to be a chalkboard so I did the best I could to create a neat little circle using the small sections of tape, and then covered the rest of the outer edge of the plate as well.  If you are using chalkboard paint that you apply with a brush it wouldn’t be necessary to tape off the whole outside of the plate, but with the spray version it certainly is.  Once my circle was all taped off I added two thin layers, one after the other was dry, of chalkboard paint.  This step took me all of about 5 minutes with my handy spray paint and the finished product was so smooth and very neatly done.

I waited until the paint was dry and carefully removed the painters tape, which easily peeled off of the plaque.  I added a dollar store plate hanger to the back and had an instant decorative chalk message board for our front door.  This would look great anywhere in the house, but I chose the front door for a few reasons.  It is a great way to welcome guests with a simple message and a polite way to ask them to do things like remove their shoes or refrain from knocking.

This is one of those things that I really wish that I had thought of when my kids where babies, but am happy to share with those that could use the idea right now!  My first baby was a horrible sleeper, and was cranky, and fussy most of the time.  When he was actually sleeping it was a really, really big deal, and the idea of a sleeping baby woke by an unexpected door knock made me nutty.  Probably because I hadn’t slept in good year or so too!  Remember that scene from Marley and Me, where the baby is sleeping, and she plops on the bed for a moment of peace, just to be sprung out of bed when the dog barks and sends the baby into a screaming fit?  That was my first two years after my son was born.

This chalkboard plaque would have made the perfect front door greeting for our home through those sleepless years.  Just a kind reminder to visitors, or delivery people to aid in the peace of a sleeping baby.  Don’t judge me!  I know some of you think it is best to make all the noise you can, and not change things for baby and I don’t necessarily disagree. But, if you had or have, a very fussy baby you know what I’m talking about.  My second baby was a breeze, and I never would have thought this necessary for her, but it’s a great tool for babies who really need the extra rest.

Now that we are past that stage and onto another, this simple plaque can help remind guests to remove their shoes before entering the house.  Where we live there is a gravel driveway and it is next to impossible not to track mud and dirt into our house especially during the winter and wet spring months.  You know a five and three year old don’t think about what might be on the floor as they drive their cars on it, lay in forts on it, or snuggle up wit their favorite blankies on it.  Our floor is their playground and I always do my best to keep it clean because I know their little hands, and everything else will be touching it.  I love the  saying “Since little fingers touch our floor, please remove your shoes at the door.”  What a cute way to ask your friends and family to take their shoes off for your kids sake.  This is a great idea if you have an infant that is crawling or rolling, or toddler learning to walk.  I think this would make a great baby shower gift for new parents to hang on their door!  A new baby transform a home into grand central station and this would be a great way to advise visitors.  They can either write instructional  messages like these or let friends and family know that visitors are welcome!

On the lighter side this is a great way to welcome guests with quirky messages or well wishes.  Now that the kids are getting older, and have pretty much wrecked the carpets anyways, we aren’t too fussy about people removing shoes or not knocking on the door during nap time.  I love using this plaque as way to help celebrate a special occasion like a birthday, or even a simple visit from the Grandparents.  I sometimes even let the kids write a message or decorate it if we know visitors are coming.  I am really enjoying our chalkboard message plaque on our front door, and enjoy the versatility it gives me in greeting people!  The best part of this project was that I had everything that I needed to make it on hand and it didn’t cost a cent.  I even found a way to use something that we had that wasn’t being used at all, my kind of DIY project!  This would be a great and inexpensive DIY gift to give for any occasion too.  Weddings, bridal showers, baby showers, housewarmings, birthdays, mother’s Day, anniversaries, anything!

I love anything that makes eating healthy and fresh foods fun for the kids.  Grapes are always a favorite snack for the kids but when you transform them into these adorable little caterpillars they are hard to resist no matter what your age.  I found this fabulous ideas on… you guessed it… Pinterest where someone used these adorable Caterpillar kabobs as party of a woodland themed party.  They were just so simple and adorable that I couldn’t wait to make them for the kids.  When it was my son’s turn to provide snack for his class this month, this was first on my list.  He said that the kids loved them, and there wasn’t a single caterpillar left after snack time.  He was so excited to help me make them and to take them to share with his friends at school.

These are so simple to make, and a great thing for the kids to help make in the kitchen.  I had everything else that I needed to make this in the cabinets and just needed to buy a bunch of grapes.  One good sized bag of grapes made about 12 caterpillars with 12 grapes on each stick.  You will also need some wooden skewers, white frosting, mini chocolate chips, and an icing bag.

I put the grapes onto the skewers with the “heads” of the caterpillars at the blunt (not pointy) end of the skewers.  My hope was that the kids would be able to eat them of the sticks without poking themselves and that they could safely hold the other end of the skewer in their hand.  I put the grapes onto the skewers horizontally to create a nice fat little caterpillar.  I lined 12 grapes in a row on each skewer and that left just enough room at the end for a little hand to hold.  This is a great step to get older kids involved in.  They might not look perfect, but they enjoy the process.

Next I filled a small icing bag about 1/4 of the way full with some pre-made white frosting.  I had a container in the fridge with a little leftover from a cake I decorated so I didn’t need to open a container just for these.  It uses such a small amount of frosting that you could just buy a little tube of icing at the store.  That way you wouldn’t even need to use an icing bag and skip the mess.  I made sure the grapes were cleaned and dried before I added the eyes. The frosting was at room temperature before I started decorating as well.  I was worried that the frosting wouldn’t stick to the grapes, but it worked great and it was super quick and easy.  I added two dots on each caterpillars head to make the eyes.

I then pushed one mini chocolate chip onto each white dot to create the most adorable little googly eyes.  With a tiny amount of frosting and a handful of chocolate chips, simple grapes transform into adorable caterpillars that are totally irresistible.  What a fun way to get your kids excited about eating healthy foods!

These made the perfect snack for my son to take to school and were a totally hit with his friends.  I made them the night before and just stored them in the fridge overnight which makes them a mom friendly snack to make as well!  The next morning I could just grab them and send the little guy off to school with a snack that is as fun as it is healthy.  I would definitely make these again for a kid friendly snack, party, cookout, or any get together that kids will be attending.  They are so simple that I would even make them for a fun picnic lunch at home just for fun or an after dinner dessert!

This do it yourself project is well worth the effort for your little lady.

Last summer I came up the idea to create a stop and go light magnetic board for m son’s room using pizza pans.  He enjoyed his so much that I couldn’t wait to make one for my daughter as well.  The kids both love to play with magnetic toys, and I love using magnetic letters and numbers as a fun way to teach spelling and counting lessons while we are playing together.  I had been dreaming up a very girly version of his magnetic board for my daughter’s room,and I am so thrilled with how it turned out.  More importantly, she is thrilled and has spent hours rearranging her magical princess land.

The whole project started with an oil drip pan that I spotted while aimlessly walking around an automotive store with the hubby.  I was entertaining the kiddos as he took care of some actual automotive care shopping.  Normally these types of stores bore me to death, and I feel like we are there for hours, even though it has only been a few minutes.  Entertaining two kids in the isles, and not letting them wreck anything, is a painstaking process.  As we were wandering the isles I spotted a huge metal looking “pan”.  I had no clue what it’s actual purpose was, but knew that I could turn it into something really fun for the kids and it was only $13.00.  Come to find out it is a pan that catches oil while you are working on a car, but I immediately saw it has a giant magnetic board or chore chart for the kids.  It had a small lip around the edge and was just the right size for the kids to have some fun with their magnets on it.  My vision was to paint a simple “scene” onto the pan as a backdrop for some princess and fairy magnets.

I took the pan outside and painted two layers of a light celery green spray paint on it.  I already had the paint from a previous project, and I always like to use things that I have around the house.  I also had a can of baby blue spray paint that I thought would make a perfect combination with the green for a sky and grass.  I painted the blue over the top of the green after it was dry and added a hill to make the scene a little more interesting.

I debated stopping at this point, but thought that a few clouds and a sun in pastel colors would really finish the princess scene off nicely.  I used some acrylic paints that I had on hand and hand painted 2 and a 1/2 clouds randomly placed in the blue sky.  I also used a yellow paint mixed with some white to create a pale yellow sun in the center of the pan.  Unfortunately their is a stamp on it right in the top center of the pan.  I toyed with leaving it alone so that it didn’t stick out too much , but decided that the round stamp would make the perfect sized sun.  Since magnets don’t stick to the textured stamp very well I thought the sun would be a great addition to the scenery.  That way the sun is always out shining on her princess land!  I added a layer of matte clear lacquer spray over the top of the finished scenery to protect the paint job.

I also created the princess magnets using things that I already had around the house.  I used sheets of magnetic printer paper that I had leftover from my magnetic family mission statement.  It had been laying around the house for some years, and I was happy to find a reason to use it up.  The princess images were a combination of stickers and wall decals.  Both of the sets were found at the Dollar Tree and were a great deal.  For $2.00 I was able to make all of the princess magnets that you see on the board and way more.  The stickers were very easy to convert to magnets.  All I had to do was peel and stick them to the magnetic paper and cut them out.  The wall decals required one extra step, but were still very simple.  I used a can of spray adhesive and sprayed the magnetic paper with it so that the decals could stick to it.  I let the spray dry and then cut the images out the same way.

Once all of the pieces were finished I used double sided mounting tape to attach the pan to the wall in my daughter’s room.  She has a little nook in her room next to her closet that the door opens into.  It is the type of space that can’t really be used for anything except for when the door is shut, so that was the perfect spot for her new princess magnet board.  I mounted it with the tape onto the wall at a height that allows her to play with it standing up, or sitting down.  The pan is about the same height as her, so she loves that it is “life sized” for her.

The unused wall in her room has now transformed into not only a place to display her artwork, but a place where she can get creative and use her imagination for hours on end.  The magnetic characters include princesses, fairies, flowers, jewelry, a kitty, horse, a castle, crowns, hearts, and all the letters of the alphabet.  Everything a little girl needs to tell the story of any princess.  Her very favorite thing to do is make up stories using the characters,  We lay them all out on the floor, and then add one character at a time coming up with a fairytale type story as we go.  She really gets a kick out of it, and once I tell one story, she usually likes to come up with her own.  I love that it evokes imaginative play, and storytelling from her little three year old mind.

I also like to incorporate some educational activities into the mix when we are playing so I use magnetic letters and numbers (also from the dollar store) to label and count things.  I put flowers in a row, and ask her to pick the number that she sees, or we work on how to spell simple words, letting her find the letters and try to put them in order.

This is one of those toys that encourages her to play and learn while using her imagination in her own space.  She sits for hours rearranging things, and talking for the little characters.  I love that it is cute, simple, and educational.  My hope is that she will be able to have this in her room for many many years, and just use it in a different way as she gets older.  If she gets sick of the princess theme I can easily change that magnets and have a whole new look.  I kept the actual pained scenery simple for that very reason.  I can change it to animals, or dress up as she gets older.  She can also use it as a magnetic memo or photo board as she gets even older too.  I always want their rooms to be filled with things that are fun, functional and that have purpose.  This has all of that, but also encourages her creative side.  It is a great addition to the decor in her room and is an even better quiet activity for her to do by herself or with others.

Well, I think I can officially say that I am almost 30!  The hubby laughs every time I say it.  I guess I deserve it, I have been saying it since I turned 25.  He says that today is the day that I can officially start saying that I’m almost 30 because it is my 29th birthday.  I can’t say that I am excited about it, at all, but I will be celebrating non the less.  I will be celebrating my many blessings in my short twenty nine years.  Although I am dreading saying that I am almost 30 – I look at my life and wonder how I got so lucky in so many ways.  I am surrounded by loving family and friends to support and uplift me during rough times and celebrate and be glad for me during the good times.  I have had so many wonderful life experiences, and people who’s paths I have crossed that have changed me for the better.  Two beautiful children and a husband of almost 9 years that I love even more than the day we got married.  So, although 29 sounds awful rolling of of my tongue, and those bags under my eyes are there to stay, I will be glad in this day and rejoice in the 29 years that God has allowed me so far. I will indulge in a day of guilt free treats, and surround myself with those people who love me just the way I am each and every year.  In honor of another birthday for me I wanted to share a great recipe with you to help celebrate anyone’s birthday.

I have been on a serious cake batter treat kick thanks to Pinterest.  All of those beautiful pictures of everyday foods and treats flavored with cake batter and covered in sprinkles are hard to resist.  Anything that is named “cake batter” is quickly printed and placed in my to try stack of recipes.  Here is one that I have tried that is just as easy as throwing together a batch of Rice Krispie treats.  It is so unbelievably festive all covered in colorful sprinkles and makes a great birthday treat to share.  It appeals to all ages and only takes a few simple ingredients to make.  These make a great treat to take to work for your own birthday, to deliver to someone you love on their birthday , or a great cupcake alternative to send to school for your kid’s birthdays!  .

They are as simple to make as regular Rice Krispie Treats, but so much more fun and festive!  The taste and texture is pretty similar too – if you love the plain old regular Rice Krispie treats, you will love these too.

I found this recipe on Pinterest via Give Me Some Oven.  It is a great, simple recipe and I can’t wait to try it with some other cake batter mix flavors.

Here are a couple of other “Cake Batter” recipes that I have tried that turned out great!

Cake Batter Truffles

Cake Batter Dip

Mothers Day is just around the corner and I simply cannot believe that I am a mother to a, now 5 year old boy and three year old little girl.  I am, in fact, one proud momma and am so sad at how fast the years are flying by.  It seems like yesterday that I celebrated my very first Mother’s Day with my handsome three month old baby boy.  Two years later I added another reason to celebrate Mother’s day with a baby girl.  A couple years ago I found myself thrilled with the thought of my son and daughter sporting matching “Mom tattoo” shirts for Mothers Day.  This was kind of a selfish project, but I was pleased as punch to tote my adorable little ones around to all of our family Mothers Day functions in these shirts.  They were just over three years old and one year old that Mother’s Day.  My little girl was toddling all over by that time, and my little man was becoming a big boy.  I simply adored these shirts on them, and they were super easy to make and really inexpensive too.

I started with two black Cranimals shirts from walmart.  They were each $3.50, one from the infant girl’s section, and one from the little boy’s section.  I was able to use scraps of fabric that I had on hand to create the Mom tattoo appliques.  This takes very small amounts of fabric, a little heat and bond, and a sewing machine to create.  Go to my easy applique tutorial for step by step instructions on appliqueing shirts.  The only difference here is that you are layering one applique on top of another.

My little girl’s shirts was made using a cute red and white polka dot pattern.  I printed a heart the size I needed off of the computer and then cut a heart out of the polka dot fabric.  I then added an appliqued backing to attach it to the shirt.  I then hand drew the little banner for the word mom to go in on white fabric.  I appliqued the heart first, then the banner, and last the letters M and O in black fabric.

I made my son’s shirt the exact same way, except I used plain red fabric for the heart to make it a little more masculine.  The sizes of the graphics were also just a little bit larger than on my daughter’s shirt.  I used matching thread and my sewing machine to sew around each fabric applique to finish off the shirts.  I like the detail it adds to the shirts, and it helps them wash and wear a little better. I am so amazed when I look back at the photos from that Mother’s Day at how much my kids have grown.  They have morphed from toddlers to big kids, with not a stitch of baby left in their faces anymore.  Of course, they  will always be my babies no matter how big they get.  I am certain that at their ages now, I would not be able to coax them into wearing matching Mom shirts anymore!  Good thing I took advantage of it when they were too little to put up a fight!

As the weather here in Wisconsin is starting to change, we are anxious to get outside and get moving.  Being a stay at home Mom has taught me many things – but the most valuable lesson is that busy kids are happy and well behaved kids.  We like to stay busy doing activities that both get us out and moving and that are educational too.  One of our very favorite things to do together outside is take a nature walk.  We do it as often as possible, and I love seeing what things excite the kids each time we are out exploring.

I love to make nature walks into a big event to keep the kids excited about going out to explore their surroundings.  A great rainy day project to help get the kids excited for nature walk day is to make them each their own pair of binoculars so that they don’t miss a thing!  All you need is toilet paper rolls and string to make binoculars that are the perfect size for little hands, and that aren’t in danger of being broken on your hike!

I have the kids paint, color and decorate their toilet paper rolls however they want.  Once they are dry I hot glue two rolls together the long way.  I Poke a hole on each of the outer sides of the rolls and then tie a string through each hole so the kids can wear them around their necks when they aren’t using them on our walk.  Once they are all assembled I let the kids add stickers or whatever else they like.  I even bent and hot glued pipe cleaners around the circles of the binoculars to make them extra fun.

The kids got a total kick out of making these and wearing them too.  I was actually surprised at how much they really used them while we were out walking.  The binoculars were a great project and the kids are still using them, even after our walk was over.  I also give each child a mason jar that they can decorate themselves with stickers.  They use the jar to collect whatever they see on our walk that seems interesting to them.  You could use old egg cartons for nice little dividers, Tupperware containers, ice cream pails, anything that is easy for them to carry and collect in while walking.

Once we are out and walking the kids are free to explore, and put whatever they find into their jars to take back to the house so that we can investigate it.  This can be as simple as a walk down the driveway, sidewalk, or a trip to the park.

We usually end up with all different kids of flowers, nuts, rocks, grass, leaves, bugs, and berries. I love these walks because there is really nothing more special to me, than quiet moments with the kiddos, especially outside in the sunshine.  They quickly jet around the house and excitedly unscrew the tops of their jars to add their newest treasure.  I am always surprised at the neat things we find each time.  Even though we do this a lot, the kids always seem to find new and interesting things.  Especially as the seasons change, we have a lot to talk about together.  It gives us a great opportunity to talk about why the leaves and grass look different, and how and why we see different bugs and birds certain times of the year.

Once our jars are filled we head back to the house and empty the contents of the jar out onto a picnic table on the deck.  You can absolutely do this inside – but I’m always afraid a random bug or worm will make it onto the kitchen table, so I keep it an outdoor project.  If we are feeling really ambitious we tape the objects to a piece of paper and write out what it is to label it (all but the creatures we find of course – those are safely returned to their habitat ).  We talk about the things that they found together, and I fill them in on everything that I know about the particular objects.  They love to tape things to the papers and show everything that they discovered to their dad when he gets home from work.  It makes for a great indoor and outdoor project and even better dinner conversation for the night.  Their excitement over the simplest things is something that I hope I never forget.