Craft Your Own Spring Time Placemat From A Gift Bag

It's raining outside today and that signals Spring is on it's way!  I've had several Spring activities floating around inside my head and these ideas need to be purged ASAP, otherwise my intracranial pressure will exceed 25 mm Hg and treatment will be necessary to reduce it!
{Sorry, I just went all medical on you}

So here's a fun activity that the kids can help you make during the March break.

Upcycled Gift Bag Placemat

 
Raise your hand if you have plenty of gift bags hangin' around!  *raises hand*
I love gift bags because they're reusable!  This time I'm going to use one to craft a seasonal placemat.  You could also use wrapping paper for this craft but I just happened to have this cute lady bug gift bag at home.  {Frigg, I'm such a bad liar.  Fine...I'll admit to purchasing this gift bag specifically for this craft project.  Why else would I have the matching sticker decals}

Supplies:

• large gift bag 
• 11"x14" frameless picture frame  (does that make sense?  If not refer to the picture below)
• scissors
• decorative stickers

Cut the string off the gift bag. {Don't throw out the tag because you'll use this as the name plate}  Measure and cut the gift bag to fit the frame.  If you don't have a frame you may be able to use a glossy paper gift bag and cut it to 11"x14".  I'm pretty sure it would be easy enough to wipe down and reuse!

Wait, don't leave.....  I'm not done!

What about a 3D placemat?  Yep, two crafts in one post.  I'm spoiling you today!

Take a look at this Mickey Mouse Placemat that I crafted from scrapbook paper.  Your kids will love eating off this three dimensional placemat.  They may even be distracted long enough for you to introduce a new entree. 

Use an exacto knife to give your paper some dimension.  

 

O.k., you can go about your day now!  Before you go, I would love to hear about your March break plans!  Thanks for stopping by and checking out today's craft idea!  Be a dear friend will ya... share this craft project with all your pals on twitter and facebook! Thanks!

*btw* Linking this post here so head over and check out all the other creative projects.

Today's Confessional-My Strange Addiction

So what's today's confession?  Well friends, I hate to say it but here I go,
I'm addicted to Cereal Box Games!!!!

Yep, sad but true!  My cereal selections are completely dependent on whether or not the box has a game on the side or back panel!  I can't seem to recall how this strange addiction came about! Likely an oppressed memory!  I wouldn't consider this addiction health hazardous, so at present I'm not overly alarmed. I mean, It's not like I'm eating toilet paper or sleeping with my hair dryer.
To be honest, one time I considered taking the Special K Diet just so I had an excuse to buy more cereal!
There's just something wonderful about the texture of a cereal box!  I love the smell of the recycled paper.  I get a total feeling of accomplishment after I finish each game!  


Wow, it's such a cathartic feeling to get these things off my very small chest!
I thank you for letting me vent!  It's all part of the purpose of owning my own blog!
Anyone else want to share their strange addictions?  This blog is an open forum!  We can work through our addictions together!
Don't worry, I won't nominate you for TLC's hit new show My Strange Addiction.

Blog Spotlight

Today I'm away, so I'm shining the spotlight on Rachel from Bubbly Nature Creations.  Sometimes I come across a blog and blogger that I instantly fall in love with.  Bubbly Nature Creations is one of those blogs.  I'm sure it helps that Rachel hails from one of my favorite areas of the U.S.A, Oklahoma.  Why Oklahoma?  Well here's a little know fact about this Canadian girl, I have TONS of family in Oklahoma and I visit regularly.  Hey Y'all to all my family in Oklahoma!  Anyway, Rachel has this fabulous blog that I've been following for sometime now.  She recently published a post on how to make homemade Veggie Goldfish Crackers and I asked her if I could share with all of you!

Here's the amazing part, not only did she make this cute snack from scratch, she actually figured out a way to make a homemade cookie cutter by using a tin can!  Ok everyone say it with me, "Hello Rachel aka Little Mrs Crafty Pants"! 

For the recipe and to see this entire post, including a very adorable video of her kids helping her make them, visit Rachel at Bubbly Nature Creations.
A big thank you to Rachel for letting me share this idea with you and for allowing me to post these pics!  Ok, hurry over and check it out!  She has the full step by step tutorial ready for printing! 

Chocolate No Bake Cookies With Just A Hint Of Mint

Chocolate No Bake Cookies with a Hint of Mint!  Chocolate No Bake Cookies are definitely one of my all time favorite cookies to make and EAT!  What I love is the rich, ooey, gooey texture of these cookies!
As much as I love the traditional recipe for this timeless cookie, I also love to experiment with it!
So how did I experiment with this cookie?  Well, by simply adding just a hint of mint extract, you can enjoy a subtle mint chocolate flavor with each and every bite! 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups of sugar
• 3 cups of oats
• 4 tbsp of cocoa
• 1/2 tsp of mint extract

Directions:
1.  Place butter, milk, sugar, cocoa in sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Once the mixture comes to a boil continue to stir while boiling for 90 more seconds(**important-do not under or over cook the mixture at this point)
2.  Add the mint extract, stir to evenly distribute flavor.  Add the oats and stir well
3.  Spread into a parchmment lined baking pan
4.  Grab a big glass of milk, the latest copy of Simple magazine and enjoy!


I would typically try to blame this next picture on my 3 Jewels but not this time....this my friends was all me!!!  I couldn't help myself!

A few did eventually make it to the display plate, I promise!

Family Day 2011-Balloon Pop Game and A Fridge Magnet Caft

Yesterday was a a national holiday, Family Day 2011 to be exact.  This means all three jewels were at home and I was left scrambling to entertain them.  We had originally planned on going to a skating party, however, Pearl fell sick over the weekend and this forced us to stay at home.
The only good thing about Pearl getting sick, (I'm a "glass is half full" kinda gal) was that she napped for 4 hours yesterday.  I know, total marathon nap!  She's usually down and up in about 45 mins.  Although, my sitter swears that Pearl consistently sleeps for 2 hours at her house.  Kids are always better behaved for others, aren't they?  Anyway, I've NEVER had to repeatedly check on my poor little monkey during nap time.  Until yesterday!  Two thumbs down for sick babies!!!

So, what kind of fun did we get up to yesterday while Pearl slept off the sickies?  Crafts, of course, and a good ole fashion game of Rainbow Balloon Pop.  (Rainbows were the theme of the day)   

Just tie some rainbow colored balloons to one leg and let your kids loose to duke it out!

It's actually quite hilarious to watch and extremely competitive! The funny thing is, it kinda reminded me of the mock cock fight that we saw on one of our excursions in the Caribbean.  I almost started throwing down my bets!

Wanna know what was up for grabs if you were the champion of Rainbow Balloon Pop?

You're very own Pot Of Gold!

Next, we busied ourselves making a Rainbow Fridge Magnet.  (Sapphire stuck around for the craft while Opal retreated to play with his trains.  Parenting tip #265-You can't please everyone ever

minute of the day)

This popsicle stick fridge magnet was very simple to make and it's quite cute, don't ya think?.

Start by gluing the popscicle sticks to a piece of cardstock to form a rainbow.  You could omit the cardstock by gluing the sticks to one another but I found it much easier for Sapphire to glue the stick to cardstock first. Then we just trimmed the excess cardstock when it had dried.  

  Next we painted a bottle cap black  to resemble a pot.  Let dry.

For our gold, we painted some mini pom poms with gold paint!   (tip-always try to use what you already have in your craft closet.  It's never wrong to improvise on any craft project you attack!)

The final step is to glue all the pieces together and add a magnet to the back!  I had to pull out the hot glue gun for this part! 

Voila, one rainbow with a pot of gold fridge magnet!

So, did you enjoy Family Day 2011?  What kind of fun activities did you participate in?  

This post is being shared over here

St Patricks Day Treat!

Spring Fever has hit Three Jewels In My Crown.  I'm officially done with winter.  Let me repeat, DONE!
Here's the good news friends, exactly one month today marks the beginning of Spring.  March is just around the corner and this makes my, completely swollen valentine's heart, warm and fuzzy.
Why do I love March so much you ask?  It's my birth month of course.  March 13 to be exact. (I expect lots of birthday wishes on this day, so mark it on your calender. In permanent marker so there's no excuses)
Another reason, St. Patrick's Day falls in the month of March.  Now for most people, March 17 isn't really that big of a deal, but when you've married into a Hardcore Irish Catholic Family, St. Patrick's Day rivals all the other major holidays.  (They don't call them the Fightin' Irish for nothin')


What qualifies you as a "Hardcore Irish Catholic Family"?

• potatoes must be served with every meal
• the grandparents are direct descendants of Ireland
• the majority of your family has pale skin, tons of freckles and red hair
• you must remain community and family oriented
• the street you live on is named Shamrock road (no joke)
• you're kids attend a catholic school

Me, my blood line is Scottish!  But isn't everyone considered Irish on St. Paddy's Day?  In fact, St. Patrick himself was considered merely a patron saint of Ireland, he was not born in Ireland.
So, if nothing more, St. Patrick's Day is a day to have a (Sham)Rockin good time!  So dig out your green garbs, dust off your drinkin' mug and join 3 Jewels In My Crown, as we salute the Irish heritage during the month of March. 

To get you started, I want to share this cute pillow box craft that I found online.

                                                                  (source)
The printable pdf can be found here.

Here's the one I made!

I plan on stuffing these pillow boxes with rainbow colored sunflower seeds.  These little pillow box treats would be perfect gift to give your loved ones on St. Paddy's Day, don't ya think? 

On The Go Snack Packs

On the go kids require on the go snacks.  That's why I try to have perfectly portioned snacks ready
for my Three Jewels.  Show me a kid (or adult) who wouldn't love these tiny snack packs filled with yummy treats.  Like these candy coated sunflower seeds or yogurt covered raisins.  Of course there are tons of healthier options, but remember these treats are perfectly portioned in a snack sized serving!

Everything you'll need to make these tiny packages of yummy goodness can be found at your
local bulk food store.

The miniature bags come in a package of 50 for $2.99.
If you're really ambitious, you could add a treat bag topper.  Check it out

 There are tons of free printable bag toppers online.  I found this cute Robot "Nuts and Bolts" card here. 

Next time your out and about, just throw a few of these snack packs in your purse and you'll be ready for anything! 

 

The multipurpose product that everyone should be using more often

BAKING SODA-it's not just for baking!  Who new?
Well apparently everyone except me!

Let me explain...
Today I was sitting in my break room at work, when I come across a book titled, "75 Extraordinary Uses For Baking Soda".  Yep, someone actually managed to publish a book, explaining all the many uses for baking soda.  If that person can publish a book about baking soda, then surely to God, I can fabricate a blog post about this so called "multipurpose product"!

So what is baking soda and why is it such a great product?
Baking soda, aka Sodium Bicarbonate, has been around since ancient times and is a relatively safe and simple chemical.  In fact, it's so safe, you can consume it.  I wonder if this is why mummies always seem to have a mouthful of teeth.  They apparently brushed their teeth with the white, powdery, naturally occurring product.

After reading the book, I gained a wealth of knowledge and a new appreciation for this seemingly household product.

For example, sprinkle some baking soda on your produce when rinsing them to get rid of the toxic pesticides.

Baking soda is a fabulous cleaner with antiseptic properties.  Here's something I never thought to do, rinse baby bottles with warm water and baking soda.  Or get this, add 2 tbsp of baking soda to your baby's bath water to help relieve diaper rash irritations.

Here's another scenario...you're husband neglected to clean the bbq grill all summer(always blame it on your other half), sprinkle it with baking soda, let soak, then rinse off.

I'm not finished yet folks, say you pig out on homemade salsa while watching three downloaded episodes of Glee, now you have unbearable heartburn.  Don't waste your hard earned money on costly antacids.  Mix 1/2 tsp of baking soda in 1/2 cup of water and drink it to relieve indigestion.

O.K., I'm starting to sound like a late night infomercial.  I'll stop now!
The point is, baking soda is definitely a product that I'm buying in bulk from now on!
Does anyone have any other helpful suggestions on how to incorporate baking soda into our daily activities?

Pet Appreciation Craft-Furry Friend Picutre Frame

Let me introduce you to our furriest family member, Bailey!  He's 10 years old, lazierthen your neighborhood teenager and he smells worse then my kid's 1/2 empty lunch boxes that have been left in their school bag for an entire weekend!!!  He's also the most obedient, loyal and affectionate animal you'll ever meet!  He's a 100% pure bread mutt but I'm almost certain he has a bit of hound in him because he gets instant satisfaction from sniffing crotches, mail boxes, tires, trees, and anything else he can shove his muzzle into.  He's a perfect play companion for my 3 Jewels, provides protection for our family and takes care of all the leftovers.

Do you have a family pet?  What have you done to show appreciation for your pet lately?  Why not dedicate the entire day to pampering your pet?  Yesterday we made a Furry Friend Picture Frame for our dog, Bailey.  

Would you like to make a picture frame for your pet dog?  Here's how we made it...

Supplies: 

• 5x7 picture of your pet
• a piece of cardboard
• glue
• scissors
• milk bone dog treats
  

1. Glue your picture to a piece of cardboard and trim off the excess cardboard

2.  Glue your dog treats to the parameter of the picture and let dry

I would love to hear about your family pet{s}.  What type of animal do you have, name, how long has he/she been apart of your family.  Feel free to send pics!   I hope you enjoyed today's pet project!

Hello dear friends!
I'm back from our fantastic vacation in the Caribbean!  The results~ 7lbs heavier, 164 more freckles and new appreciation for grain fed meat!   Words can not describe what a fabulous time we had, so I decided to share some of the moments that I captured on film!
This trip was enjoyed by myself, my husband and several close friends.  My 3 Jewels stayed at home to party with our fabulous family and friends!  I won't lie!  It was extremely difficult to leave them behind.  This being said, I'm very thankful we took this time to reconnect, as a married couple.
After months of preparation, this adults only trip, was nothin' but smooth sailing.  This is why I feel obligated to share some of my tips on how to "Vacation Without The Kids".  Showing your kids, you still love them from afar, is the key to conquering separation anxiety while vacationing without them.   Stay tuned, this post will be publish later on this week!

Well folks, hope you enjoy my video clip!

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

I'll leave with this one final thought...Life Is Short!  Enjoy it to the fullest!  If you're thinking of vacationing, then don't delay! Think of all the memories you'll be missing out on if you don't go!  You deserve it!