Pumpkin Playdoh Party Favors

Many schools are encouraging healthy treats for parties and some are even suggesting non-food items.  I decided that I was going to make Playdoh Jack-o-Lanterns for my son's preschool class.  They were very simple and used very basic ingredients so it didn't cost me an arm and a leg either.  

Supplies

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 4 TablespoonsVegetable Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Cream of Tartar
• 2 Tablespoons Salt
• 2 Cups Warm Water
• 1 6oz pakg Orange Jello

• Small Cello Bags
• Ribbon
• Happy Halloween Tag
• Black Sharpie

This is enough to do 10-12 small balls

In a medium sauce pot combine flour, salt, cream of tartar, and jello.  Mix together.  Then add water and vegetable oil and whisk until all the lumps are dissolved.  

Over medium-high heat stir continuously as mixture begins to thicken.  This will take a couple of minutes

Continue stirring and folding the dough as it becomes more solid.

Remove from pan and place on wax paper to cool.

After Playdoh cools place rounded balls into the cello bag.  Attach the tag and tie the top closed with a small piece of ribbon.  Last draw a Jack-o-lantern face on the bag with a black sharpie.  

Here is the link for the Happy Halloween Tags

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My Kids have the BERRY Best Teachers!!!

After our BERRY successful trip to Wegmeyer Farms last week, we decided to go berry picking again.  Between the two visits we picked almost 20 pounds of strawberries.  I have made lots yummy recipes with them, including Strawberry Lemon Bundt Cake, Strawberry Nutella Bruschetta, and Strawberry Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette.  I even gave some to the boys' teachers.  I picked up a couple of cute colanders from the dollar section at Target.  They had a variety of shapes and colors including green apples, pink flowers and yellow flowers.  I created a cute tag to go with it (link at the bottom), punched a hole it in, tied it on with a piece of twine, and hand delivered it to their amazing teachers.  They LOVED it!

To print, right click on the picture below and save to your computer.  Print on 8.5x11 white card stock.  Six will print on the sheet so there will be enough for all of your kids' teachers.

Check out a quick Target gift card idea here!

The list of strawberry recipes could go on and on.... I will keep posting!

Monster Tooth Pillow

I am not sure who was more nervous about today's trip to the dentist Me or Evan.  Evan had to have two of his baby teeth pulled because they were not loose at all!  It was quick and easy.  He didn't cry, but the same can not be said for me.  I had tears forming in my eyes, but held them back.  These were the first teeth that my first born (almost 7) has lost. It was  bittersweet moment.  I am sad to see him growing up so fast, but I LOVE watching him change into a big kid!

                       
I have been waiting for over a year for him to lose a tooth because I made him this cute Monster Tooth Pillow.  The long thread blog gives an excellent easy to follow tutorial.  She has included the pattern and supply list.  I purchased all the supplies for less than $5.  It would have cost even less if I would have had any left over polyfill.

Teacher Sayings {Free Printable}

Just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week! Print out this cute design and stick it in a frame to go along with your gift for your children's teachers. Adorable print for them to put out on their desk or up on a shelf. Just right click on the image below and save to your computer.

Chevron Monogram Binder Covers- Great for Teachers!

Chevron is the hottest print tight now, and lucky for you, I have a whole bunch of monogram prints! These are great to use as covers and are the perfect touch to spice up your organizational binders. Just right click on the images below and then save to your computer. Print them out as a full page photo (do not click "fit to frame") and insert into the clear cover on your binder! If you use a notebook/planner system like Circa, these make great covers behind the clear cover also.

DIY Duncan Hines

Brownies are a HUGE Lewis  family favorite!  Nathan (my youngest son) is actually a professional brownie chef.  He has allowed us to share his secret ingredient as well; he always adds a couple hand fulls of chocolate chips (his hands are small as he is only 3). What is so great about this DIY Duncan Hines brownie mix is that is is almost as easy to make up as walking down the aisle and buying the actual box of brownie mix. And when you are ready to make them, well it is just as easy as the directions on the real Duncan Hines box. But most importantly, here is what our DIY mix DOES NOT contain...

Corn syrup

Soy bean oil

Cornstarch

Carob powder

Artificial flavor

Here are the ingredients for the mix:

• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder

You can just put in a ziploc bag, but it also makes a great decorative item or gift when stores in a mason jar. We even created a free printable gift tag for you to tie around the jar.

To print the gift tag, right click the image above and save as a picture. Depending on your printer, chose the paper or print option to print it as a 3.5 x 5 print and make sure the "fit to frame" box is NOT checked.

Then, when you're ready to bake, just mix the dry mix with the following:

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon of milk

Place in a greased baking pan and cook at 350° for 20-25 minutes (directions are also on the tag).

DIY Gluten-free Duncan Hines

Don't worry- we have a gluten free version of our DIY Duncan Hines! Why buy a boxed variety of gluten-free brownie mix when you probably already have everything in your pantry to make your own. You can put all of the dry ingredients in a bag or in a jar and keep in your pantry for when you want some of those deliciously sweet morsels. Or print our free printable gift tag below and tie it around a mason jar with the mix and give it as a gift. Trust me, people who eat gluten free will LOVE this brownie mix as a gift. 

Ingredients (for the jar):

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (ensure they are gluten free brand)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

When you are ready to make the brownies, just mix the dry mix with 2 eggs, 1/3 cup oil, 1 Tbsp. milk and 1 Tbsp. vanilla. The directions are also on the gift tag.

To print the gift tag, right click the image above and save as a picture. Depending on your printer, chose the paper or print option to print it as a 3.5 x 5 print and make sure the "fit to frame" box is NOT checked.

Adorable Baby Wall Art with Chevron and Chalkboard

My project for today was making some cute wall art for a friend of mine, and after I completed hers, I went ahead and made some additional ones and put them up for sale on etsy. These are three different prints, one is a monogram, the other is a birth announcement plaque, and last is a prayer. Here is the one I call "The Mallory" and it is in girl colors:

The others I created were in more of a boy pallette and I call them "The Ivan."

Please check out the listings on our Etsy Shop and email us if you want something custom. Enjoy!
Mary Bobbin's Boutique Etsy Shop

Striped Rag Quilts

My newest craft obsession is rag quilts. They are fairly easy to make and very snuggly! I prefer the stripes ones because they don't look as "old-fashioned" as the traditional quilt squares. These are perfect for baby quilts (make awesome shower gifts), throws and kids' quilts.

Front

Back

What's even better- we will be adding custom quilt orders to our Etsy Store- Mary Bobbins boutique! You can purchase one of these handmade quilts for yourself or a gift. All quilts are custom and handmade. Please visit our Etsy Store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/MaryBobbinsBoutique?ref=ss_profile

So cozy!

Here is another one I made for a boy. You can see how snuggly it is because it put him right to sleep!

We can make themed or character quilts for your little one too. Below is a Star Wars quilt for our biggest Star Wars fan, Evan (see the Who Wants to be a Jedi? post).