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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Dirt Pudding

I recently saw this idea in Martha Stewart's Living magazine but with a much less healthier recipe. This recipe is fun, easy, and healthy. Plus, my kids and hubby love it when I serve it to them in these cute little votive glasses.

Dirt Pudding

2 small bananas or 1.5 large bananas
2/3 C. Cocoa Powder
2/3 C. Maple Syrup
1 Avocado
Pinch of Salt

Dirt Crumbles:
1 C. Dates, pitted
1 C. Nuts (walnuts, brazil nuts are my faves)
3/4 C. Cocoa Powder

Place all ingredients for pudding in a food processor and process. Set aside. Place all ingredients for Dirt Crumbles in food processor and process. Pour pudding into cute little glass votive cups, and sprinkle with dirt crumbles on top.

You could even add a little mint extract to the ingredients for St. Pattie's Day! Garnish with a fresh mint leaf. Enjoy!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Feelin' Lucky

This weekend I was very intent on getting my St. Pattie's Day wreath finished! I was inspired by Our Seven Dwarves - and they give a fabulous wreath tutorial as well. This was my first time making the fabric rosettes and I love the end result. It was worth a few glue gun burns, although hopefully the next fabric wreath I do will have less of those! I think the key was less is more - less glue that is. The more glue you pile in there, the more apt you are to get burned.

By the way, Failte means "Welcome" in Gaelic. (I'm Irish, actually 100% Irish and my b-day is St. Pattie's Day so it's an extra special day for me!)
I certainly remember my dad blasting Irish music throughout our house that morning and ALWAYS wearing our green.

I also had fun making these with my daughters and their friends. They are Shamrock Mobiles. I found the template online for the shamrocks. The rainbow was supposed to be a paper plate, but somehow we have no paper plates in the house so I used cardstock cut out in a half moon.

I also found this Subway Art template on which fit nicely in one of my frames that I change out seasonally anyway. Yippee!!! Thanks Eighteen 25!

Then I picked my glue gun back up and put this little number together with just a piece of scrapbook paper and some scrabble letters. I just love those scrabble letters! I've been seeing lucky signs all over the place so I just had to have one!
Are you crafting for St. Pattie's Day? If you have a fun craft let me know I'd love to see it!!! Next up, my mantle...
I'm linking up to link parties at:
Sew Can Do 
Marvelously Messy

Friday, March 4, 2011

Rain Barrel Mural

Have you ever wanted to paint a rain barrel? Rain barrels are very popular right now as more people are realizing their benefits which include saving water. I'm the homeroom mom for my daughter's preK3 class and this was our project for the upcoming school's Gala fundraiser.

First we purchased our rain barrel. We purposely picked one that was blue in color.

We My hubby sanded the barrel to get it ready for priming with his handy dandy electric sander, then primed the bottom 3/4 of the barrel where we I knew would be painted.

 
After taping off the top area that we knew was not going to be painted, my hubby sprayed the bottom portion with a white primer spray.



After it was primed, we used acrylic paints and painted a fence with 15 stems (one flower stem for each student).

A few days later, I took it into the classroom where we painted on the children's handprints. We had 3 moms total helping. One mom painted the child's hand with the paint color, one mom stamped the handprint on the flower stem, and the third mom was ready to take the child right to the sink to wash off all the paint. Since we had to use acrylic paints, we had to make sure to wash the paint off their hands right away.
On the top portion of the barrel we painted the psalm "Like showers that water the earth," and are going to include a school umbrella and some native plants. Isn't it cute? The kids had so much fun getting their hands painted.

Now all that is left is a coating of polyeurethane. I'm sad to see this barrel go! I'm going to have to either place a bid for it, or create one for our house next.
I'm linking up with some weekend DIY parties:
Mommas Kinda Crafty
and Fingerprints on the Fridge
and It's a Hodgepodge Life

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Fun with Kids Name Art

I made this name frame for my daughter's bedroom using scrapbook paper, letters from Michaels and frames. I hot glued the letters onto the frames after I inserted the scrapbook paper, leaving the frames on so you get that beautiful reflection from the glass.
It is definitely the highlight of her room! Above her name is a branch I found at a craft store. I thought about hanging ribbon from the branch to the letters...which I still may do. What do you think?
I'm linking up to It's a Hodgepodge Life
and The Shabby Nest