Sparkle dough ornaments

Winter is not my friend, and I tend to hibernate through it.  My kids though, are not the hibernating types.  And today, they were practically climbing the walls.

I figured it was a good day to try a new craft.

Pinterest Round Up Easter Crafts

I am so not creative, but thanks to Pinterest you would never know it.

My husband thinks that I have a head full of great ideas, tons of things to do with the kids, the house, recipes etc. Little does he know, 90% of my wonderful unique ideas are pinned. With Eater coming up, I spent the morning pinning some great activities for me and the kids, (ok for me and Sophia since Vanessa will most likely eat the paint and glue) and I thought I would share them with you, so that you may also claim them as your own unique ideas, or not, just don't tell my husband =).

Peep Bunting
The Pin

Wire Eggs

The Pin

Painting with Peeps

The Pin

I Make Hats

I don't know if Ive ever mentioned this before, but in addition to being super mom (cough cough) and blogging I also crochet hats and photo props. Ive been lucky enough to team up with a fabulous photographer (Michelle Collis Photography) to get some great pics. You can see more on my facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/7c9rehm

Look what I made

Not bad for a beginner....

What im making today

Im totally inspired by these gorgeous envelopes from the ladies at CraftyChicks, and have decided I must make at least 5 of them today to give out Sophias Vday cards. Check out the awesome tutorial here,
Crafty Chicks

What Im attempting today

Chenille backed wash clothes from Creations by Kara
Im going to make myself a set, and if they turn out I think i may make some for my neighbor...

Another awesome deisgn by Anna White

This Little Helper Tower is adjustable for the size of your child and even has a few amendments for those who might be at the top of their class (like an arched entryway!). The piece is beautiful and will save you hundreds of dollars at the store and can be put together in a weekend.

Check out the full tutorial over at Ana White's website and get busy building your own.

A weekend away and A great new store

Me, the hubby and little Miss S. jumped on the opportunity to spend a few days away at a friends cottage this past weekend. Its been a pretty stressful few weeks and we needed a break. Its funny, but I don't think we noticed how stressed out we both were until we were able to let go of it for a bit.We had a great relaxing weekend.
Normally I would have planned out every minute with fun "activities" for us but this weekend I decided to just go with the flow. I am so glad we did. We played board games, went to a craft fair in the adorable little town(more about that in a bit) , watched some kids jumping off a bridge into the river, we even spent an hour on the dock just watching the sunset. It was so nice to just be able to relax and not worry about anything but whats for dinner.


Oh, did I mention my hubby cooked ALL WEEKEND. It really was a treat.

I even managed to score some amazing deals this weekend. For those of you readers who happen to be in southern ontario, Im sure you know Vaughan Mills. Its the super shopping mall recently built right across from Canada's Wonderland. I stopped there on Friday while my hubby finished up a little bit of work he had to do.
Im not a huge fan of the majority of the stores but I always make a point of stopping by The Childrens place. This trip didnt dissapoint they were having a great sale and I managed to pick up the most adorable bathing suit for, get this, $2.99! Its perfect for our upcoming trip to The Mayan Riviera. They had a lot of great deals so I highly recomend checking it out.
While I was at Vaughan Mills I also stopped by Babies R us and picked up some Baby Legs for 4.99 a pair!
My best discovery though came form the Craft Fair we visited on Saturday. I am not normally a fan of crafts. I figured the stalls would be full of things like this little jewel. I am so happy that i was wrong, there was some seriously cute stuff, ranging from flavored honeys, really cute dishwear, some adorable baby clothes and a lot more.
The best stall though was called Penelope Picklebottom. The name made me giggle, it was somehow familiar...
The wares however were not the knock off diaper bags and blankets I was expecting but the most adorable hats and headbands! I was like a kid in a candy shop, poor Miss S. was forced to try on about twenty different hats and she was not happy about it. She hasnt really picked up her mommas love of shopping yet I guess.
My faves though were an adorable blue flowered headband and brown crocheted beanie with a bow. I was happy to learn that she has a website you can shop from and also does custom orders. I will definitely be ordering a few more.
You can check it out here.
Heres Miss S modelling her newest headwear.
All in all, It was a really great weekend. I am so glad we took the time to reconnect as a family, and just spend some time together.
Happy Shopping
Jaymi

Easter Fun for the Kidlets Wax Dyed Eggs

For thousands of years, Ukrainians have created elaborately patterned eggs called pysanky using a wax-resist process. Wax is applied to an egg, which is then dipped in colored dyes. When completed, the wax is melted off, revealing all the colors beneath. Updated and simplified, the same technique can be used to produce these soft watercolor patterns.

Tools and Materials
Food coloring
Beeswax
Eggs
Pot (for melting beeswax)
Bowls and spoons (for dyes)
Cookie sheet
Wax paper
Paper towels

Wax-Resist Dyeing How-To
1. To make a striped egg, dye a raw or hard-boiled egg pale yellow (for richer colors, increase the proportion of coloring to water). Remove and let dry.

2. Melt beeswax in a pot. Dip both ends of the egg in wax; this will prevent that area from absorbing the next color.

3. Place the egg in the green dye for about one minute, then remove and let dry. Dip both ends of the egg deeper in the wax than before, leaving a narrow unwaxed band around the middle of the egg.

4. Place the egg in dark blue dye to color the middle stripe. When finished, place the egg in a 250-degree oven on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper for about 5 minutes. Take the egg out and wipe off melted wax with a paper towel. If you used a raw egg, let egg cool and carefully blow out contents. To make a half-colored egg, hold an egg partially submerged in a strong dye for about a minute.To create eggs with bands of white, dip-dye both ends, then dip each end in the wax to cover the dyed area plus a stripe of white beyond them, then proceed as above.

From Martha Stewart Living April/May 1994

These make me wish I could knit . . .

How gorgeous are these little booties?

Hand Made Christmas - Spa Basket

A spa basket will be a great gift for anyone you know who needs a little extra pampering this holiday season. Fill it with some pretty soaps, a nice plush towel, maybe some candles, and a few of these recipes. Just be sure to make some extras for yourself.

Body Scrubs

You need only four ingredients to make these moisturizing exfoliants. The base can be made from either Epsom salts or sugar, depending on whether you want a large or fine grain. Color the scrubs with shades that are in keeping with some of the scents you use -- pink with grapefruit, for example, or green with eucalyptus. Makes about 2 1/3 cups.

Tools and Materials
2 cups Epsom salts or organic cane sugar
1 cup carrier oil
8 drops essential oil(s)
1 drop food coloring
Special equipment: plastic pipette, canning jars

Directions
1. Stir together Epsom salts or sugar and carrier oil in a bowl, mixing well.

2. Using pipette, add essential oil, 1 drop at a time. Add food coloring, and stir until color is even throughout. Spoon into canning jars.

3. Download clip-art labels, enlarging or reducing to fit top of canning jar if necessary. Print onto ink-jet bumper-sticker paper (which is designed to withstand water). Cut out the labels, and affix to clean jars.

Bath Snowballs

These fragrant spheres for the bath (we scented ours with peppermint oil) are made by packing Epsom salts into a plastic mold. The bath "snowballs" can be tinted any color. You'll need 3 to 4 days to make the bath balls because of the drying time between steps. Makes 2 large or 4 small balls.

Tools and Materials
2 cups Epsom salts
2 tablespoons water
A few drops essential oil(s)
1 drop food coloring, plus more if desired
Special equipment: plastic pipette, large or small round bath-ball molds, storage jars

Directions
1. Stir together Epsom salts and water in a mixing bowl. Using pipette, add oil, 1 drop at a time, until strength of scent is to your liking. Add food coloring, 1 drop at a time, until desired shade is achieved; stir until color is even throughout.

2. Spoon a generous amount of mixture (more than necessary) into 1/2 of a bath-ball mold. Pack firmly. Repeat, packing mixture into second half of mold. Press pieces together until they connect. Remove top half of mold very carefully. Let bath ball stand, mold side down, overnight (set ball on an overturned jar lid to keep it from tipping over).

3. Remove mold carefully. Invert, and let ball dry completely, 2 to 3 days more. Transfer to jars.

Bath Fizzies

Ice-cube trays serve as molds, giving the fizzies their shape. Using a flexible silicone model lets you slide the cubes out smoothly without breaking them.

Show off the colors of the bath fizzies in glass jars with screw tops, the kind used for storing sugar and flour. Pack each type of fizzy in a separate jar so the scents won't meld. Write the name of the scent on a vellum tag (choose a shade that matches the fizzies), and punch a hole in the top. Thread the tag with ribbon, and tie it around the jar.

Citric acid, a common food additive, is available at wine-making-supply stores, some spice shops, and online. When citric acid is combined with baking soda and placed in water, a chemical reaction creates bubbles.

Makes 1 dozen (use 2 per bath)

Tools and Materials
1/2 cup citric acid
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
About 6 drops food coloring
10 to 15 drops essential oil(s)
Special equipment: 2-ounce travel-size spray bottle, plastic pipette, silicone ice-cube tray, storage jars

Directions
1. Stir together citric acid, baking soda, and cornstarch in a glass measuring cup.

2. Pass mixture through a fine sieve or a flour sifter into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar.

3. Fill spray bottle with water, and add food coloring. Spritz mixture lightly (it should become damp but not fizzy) until you can pack mixture with your hands.

4. Using pipette, add oil, 1 drop at a time, until strength of scent is to your liking. Using a metal spoon or your hands, mix ingredients until color is even throughout (mixture will begin to dry out; when this happens, spritz until packable again).

5. Spoon into ice-cube tray, pressing firmly. Let dry at room temperature overnight. Pop out of tray gently. Transfer to jars.

Happy Crafting
Jaymi

Hand Made Christmas

Every year I swear im going to make Christmas more personal. This year I actually have the time and I am getting started early. The first project on my list is cookies in a jar. Its actually a very simple gift to make. You simply layer all the ingredients in a mason jar, cap, add a tag with the recipe and your all set. I plan on adding them to a basket with a few cookie cutters and some homemade hot chocolate mix. There are quite a few great recipes online for this, but these two are my faves....

Butterscotch Chip Cookies

Layer all ingredients in the order their listed, make sure you pack everything down tight.

1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup high protein crisp rice and wheat cereal
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Recipe
Empty jar of cookie mix into a large mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup of butter or margarine, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Use hands to mix the wet and dry ingredients together. When completely blended, roll into large walnut sized balls. Place on unprepared cookie sheets and use the palm of your hand to flatten each cookie ball. Bake at 350 in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.



Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups shortening
2 cups chopped pecans
2 (12 ounce) packages semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
Recipe
To prepared cookies: In a mixing bowl, beat eggs 2 eggs and 2 tsps vanilla. Stir in 7 cups cookie mix until well blended (if dough is dry, add 1-2 tablespoons water). Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1-2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Yield: about 6 dozen per batch.


Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups powdered milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cups cocoa
dash of salt

Recipe
combine 4 heaping Tbsp to 1 cup of hot milk.
Top with marshmallows

Happy crafting
Jaymi

The Joy of Cardmaking

What do cooking and card making have in common? Apparently a lot.
The Joy of Cardmaking is written like a cookbook, using "recipe cards" that simplify each layout and featuring tons of extra tips labelled as "secret ingredients" and appetizing ideas.
This is a great book to look at if you, like me, are a newbie. It has over 200 pages of great layouts for all sorts of cards; Christmas, birthday, baby, valentines, even just because. The layouts are all easy to replicate and customise, and are sure to impress.
Available through Leisure Arts

Card Making

I love christmas, and I love christmas cards. Ive always wanted to try and make my own for friends and family, but have never really had a chance to do it. Being on maternity leave however, has given me the time to follow up on my inspiration.
This year I'll be basing my cards on several different designs, including these ones,




Are you planning on making your own cards this year, or have you in the past? Modern Housewife would love to show off your inspiration and your finished products. You can send pics to housewifeheaven@gmail.com.

Halloween by Martha Part II

Martha Stewart is the undisputed queen of home decor, and halloween is no exception. Here are a few of our fave halloween crafts by Miss Martha.

Pumpkin Vase

Pumpkins wear many hats this time of year, appearing in pies and soups as well as in centerpieces. Here's another use: Transform one into a colorful homemade vase.

1. Begin by selecting as round a pumpkin as you can find. Cut off the top, and scoop out the inside pulp and seeds Inside the pumpkin, place a plastic paint bucket or any plastic container that fits easily.

2. Place a cube of Oasis floral foam inside the container, thinning it to fit. Press the foam down to make it level, and drench it with water (enough so that a small pool collects at the bottom of the container). Arrange seasonal flowers, dried leaves, and berries as desired -- we used lady's mantle, dahlias, maple leaves, and hypericum berries.

Flying place Cards

Set the stage, and the table, for Halloween with these strange creatures -- half bat, half pumpkin. Bend a 7-inch wooden skewer one-third from its blunt end. Fold a square of black crepe paper into a triangle over two-thirds of bent skewer, and secure with a glue stick. Fold top point of triangle down, and glue. Cut scalloped edge. With an awl, punch holes in opposite sides of a mini pumpkin, and insert wings. Write names on small tags; scorch edges for extra spookiness.













Jack O Clock

Cinderella pumpkins are bright orange and somewhat squat. Choose one with a clean, flat base, which will serve as the clock's face. The design is carved with a linoleum cutter, which removes only the outer flesh.

Halloween by Martha

Martha Stewart is the undisputed queen of home decor, and halloween is no exception. Here are a few of our fave halloween crafts by Miss Martha.


Carrot Nose Jack-O-Lantern

Whether you're carving, decorating, or using this classic fall gourd for Halloween inspiration, our pumpkin ideas will excite you all season.

If you don't have time to carve a complete face, a carrot will add some character to your jack-o-'lantern.

Drippy Blood Candles

Cast a sinister glow over any setting with a cluster of white tapers dripping with "blood" (actually red candle wax). Fill a cup or a small pail with sand, and plant white candles inside so they stand upright. Light a red candle and tip it over the white candles so the wax drips down the tops and sides, being careful not to burn yourself. Let wax cool completely before removing candles from sand.












Spider Squash

What would Halloween be without a macabre evocation of the denizens of the night? These multilegged creatures rise up from the damp earth and moss to skitter across cold stones.

Black-green squashes, such as 'Table Ace' acorn, are carved with a linoleum cutter, which removes only the outer flesh.