Jello Play Dough Recipe

My three favorite days of the year are the Town Wide Tag Sale in Oct. and the spring and fall MOPS consignment sales I work.  This weekend was the MOPS sale, and I brought home two “new” play-doh kits (and was surprised to learn that there were two we didn’t have.)  To celebrate, we decided to make a batch of homemade play dough.  We usually like the kool-aid variety, especially grape because it makes purple and smells heavenly.  Unfortunately, kool-aid isn’t something we normally keep in the house and this was an impulse thing.  We DO however have a veritable plethora of jello! 

Here is the recipe from www.easyfunschool.com

Jello Playdough

Wondering what to do with all of that jello you bought on sale but never seem to have the time to make into something? Here's a really cute recipe for using it to make scented playdough. The kids love it!


Ingredients:
1 cup white flour
1/2 cup salt
2 T. cream of tartar
2 T. Vegetable oil
1 c. warm water
1 three oz. pkg. jello (any flavor)

Directions:
Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pot and becomes dull. * Note: it burns easily so don't put over too high a heat and keep stirring. Mold and knead until cool enough to touch. Store in a closed plastic bag.

Funny side story:  So, I only had about one tablespoon of cream of tartar (recipe calls for two), and we live 20 min. from the closest grocery store.  Luckily, my in-laws live next door.  My MIL is probably the most resourceful person I know, for her habit of saving EVERYTHING if nothing else.  She kept all my husband’s toys that my kids now enjoy.  So I didn’t think cream of tartar would be an issue.

Sure enough, this is what my FIL brought over.

I thought, ‘How trendy!  Look at that cute retro design.’  And then, ‘Wait a minute!  This IS my MIL we’re talking about.’  I turned the container upside down and BAM!

Yes, you are reading that correctly.  This cream of tartar “expired” in Sept. of 1977, which means it was manufactured before that.  This little container is older than the hubs and me.  HA!  I don’t think cream of tartar ever really expires anyway.  At least I didn’t feel nervous about using it in a play dough recipe.  And while I’m usually one for taste exploration, the next pic was only of slight concern. 

Sorry, kids!  This time we’re not eating the play dough…

CM Spring Display

One of my most favorite all-time crafty purchases is this display I bought from Creative Memories.  It’s large enough to generously display any single page layout as well as magnets that could take the fillings out of your teeth.  Nothing’s falling off this board!  And if you don’t want to take the magnet route, hang your treasures with the cute little clothes pins.  I just love it!
The #1 benefit, though, is that it allows my pages to get a little more face time.  No matter the season, I go to my albums and pull out a favorite to display for the season.  This one happens to be from 3 years ago, but now the family gets to enjoy it again for a couple months.  I had almost forgotten about that sweet photo of Savannah with a caterpillar on her finger wearing a tutu.  The fake grass is a bit much I think, but it does grab one’s attention, eh?

Happy Spring, ya’ll!!

: )

Bouncing Baby Layout

ooOOOOooo!  This is exciting!  My official first ever challenge entry.  Whoo!  I’ve been browsing the scrapbook challenges (which seem to be few and far between compared to card challenges), and I decided I liked the options over at The Paper Variety.

The tic-tac-toe board really appealed to me because it’s almost like a create-your-own challenge.  We’re going with the diagonal

LAYOUT- SPRING COLORS-STAMPED SENTIMENT

I’m not sure the title of my page counts as a sentiment, but this is my first attempt.  Rookies get more wiggle room, right?  (Let’s hope.)  So here’s my layout…

Cuteness!!  What is it about a laughing baby that’s so contagious?  At 10 months old, Madeline could only sit on the trampoline while her sisters bounced around her.  These pics are tame compared to the jostling she took a couple times.  Almost three years later, she’s bouncing circles around her sisters!  They grow so fast…

The products are all from Heidi Grace Designs.

Easter Banner FAIL!!

cricut
If we don’t celebrate our failures as well as our successes, how can we maintain any perspective or expect to grow, right?  Well, here is a great big craft FAIL!




I enjoyed making a cupcake wrapper banner a while back (I think I blogged about it) for a friend’s baby shower.  It turned out kind of nice, so I thought it would lend well to a whimsical Easter banner.  Uh…..

Not only are the triangles too small, but the yarn makes it look like a balding  Raggedy Ann doll.  Plus, in the top photo, you’ll see how I tried to make one of those accordion flowers that Melissa Laverty is so good at and it imploded.

But you know what??  I’m displaying it smack dab in the middle of the living room for now, because every time I walk by I giggle.  And if you can’t laugh at yourself once in a while…
Happy Spring, ya’ll!!

Love Bug

I used to be one of those scrappers that HAD to create in chronological order.  With only one child, that was easier to do.  Now with three, I go with what is inspiring me at the moment.  That also means that yes, Madeline is three, and I’m still working on her baby album.  And that’s okay!  No mommy guilt, here.  
Had I done this layout three years ago, I wouldn’t have considered felt hearts or crimped strips.  (Okay, the crimped strips are pretty 2007)  BUT!  I didn’t have my Cricut back then for the funky lettering, and that’s brand new heart-themed paper from Close to My Heart.  So there ya go.  Lexi may have a bursting baby album, but Madeline’s is more evolved.  I’ll call that win-win.

Easter Layout

I definitely need some ideas to mix up our Easter traditions.  The Easter bunny strings up the house leading each kid to her basket, but that’s getting weak.  I need to go bigger.  Any ideas??

Spring felt topiary

I’ve seen this little project on so many blogs, that I had to give it a shot.  Talk about easy!!  Before I go through the steps, I better give credit where credit is due.  Here are some of my favorite examples.
Simply Designing

The Modern Cottage

The Boatwright Family

So here are my three easy steps…
Cut out three inch circles of your fave color felt.  (I used about 60 or 7 sheets of felt)


Fold each circle in half twice.


And finally pin to a styrofoam ball.  DONE!


I’m considering constructing a huge “R” for our porch (but that’s a loooot of felt.)  Good thing I have child labor available.  : )

Wishful Thinking Layout

Here is one of the layouts I did for Lexi’s half sleepover birthday party this past summer.  Having 15 girls here ranging in age from 3-8 made Simon (my nephew) feel like a rooster in a hen house.  He appropriately used the floor to ceiling mirror in our basement to get himself pumped for the occasion.  However, it didn’t even phase him that he didn’t get to stay for the party.  Heading to the movies and pounding a giant bucket of popcorn with Uncle Rich was just as good…

The One and Only...Jasmine!

Even people who don't like dogs like our Jazzy.  She's just a good pup!  And she had some pretty big paws to follow.  Beamer was the stuff they write Oscar-winning screenplays about, but Jazzy has to be the easiest-going dog that ever existed.  Our kids can pile-drive her, dress her up, tease her with treats, and she comes back for more.  My favorite part about Jazzarella, though, is the special relationship she has with Rich when neither of them think I'm looking.  I knew what I was doing when I sent him out to pick out our pup.  : )