salt dough hand Santa ornament

What you will need:                                                            

1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup water(give or take)
knife
paint red ,white, beige
glitter (if wanted )
modge podge 
ribbon
paint brush
black marker


Instructions:

1) mix salt, flour and water

2) knead till it forms a dough

3)  make impression of hand then use the knife to cut out the hand print leaving a boarder 

4) poke a hole in the top for hanging

5)  bake at 100/200 f for 3 hours

6) when cooled paint the hand print to look like Santa add glitter to it while paint wet if you want its sparkly 

7) when paint is dry use marker to outline the beard and hat also make his eyes 


8) write on back year child's name then seal with the modge podge let dry

9) string with ribbon and then hang it on your tree or where ever you like 


We had a great time making these for Eloise's first Christmas to give to family members. She is going to be 3 and these ornaments are still as nice as they were 2 years ago. We had a great time making these. Makes a great Christmas gift for family and great keepsake. It is a perfect gift for a child's first christmas.

Winter Sensory Bin

Eloise loves to play with her many different sensory bins. While at the dollar store recently in the Christmas aisle I noticed a few things that would work great for a winter sensory bin. I picked up the few things this bin cost me about $10 and is well worth it. This bin will last for hours of play as long as everything does not get emptied out .

what you will need:

1 bag shredded snow
1 package of mixed mini Christmas ornaments 
package of bells
fake candy canes
red glitter wicker balls
 plastic snow flakes
plastic container


instructions:

to make this winter bin place the bag of  shredded snow into the bin. Then add the plastic snow flakes in with the shredded snow and mix it up. Next add in the wicker balls some candy canes  and a few ornaments and bells to fill the bin. Don't over flow the bin with stuff or it will make a huge mess when kids try to play with the sensory bin.

Eloise had so much fun  with this winter bin she separated  all the different things in the bin. then counted each one. we also pretend played by using the snow flakes as eyes. or had a candy cane for a pretend treat. another way she used the candy canes was to dig through the fake snow for berried snowflakes.

rainy day indoor fun (summer)

 Well summer where we live is full of fog and rain in New Brunswick.So I came up with a great idea to entertain eloise on these rainy days. When she was bored of crafts movies and baking. Eloise loves to swim during the year we go weekly to tot swim at a local pool. During the summer tot swim ends. When it came to our summer season when it could be 4-6 days of rain straight. I thought of a great idea to set up her blow up kids pool in my living room. I first laid out two hospital blankets I have to cover the floor and then filled it half way with water. then before she got into the pool I explained that if she pours water or  gets to much on the blankets id have to put it away. Eloise did great she would spend about two hours playing in her pool. She brought dolls in and her bath toys. This was a great mom win of the summer that ended up happening about 3 times this summer and I plan to do it again I enjoyed making these memory's with her and it was not a disaster.

Helping mommy empty her pool after she was done playing 

banana cake with peanut butter icing

What you will need:                                                                     

cake                                                                            

2/3 cup shorting
2 1/4 cup flour
 1 2/3 sugar
 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup butter milk
 2 eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk

peanut butter icing

 1 cup peanut butter
 1 teaspoon vanilla 
 2 cups icing sugar
milk









Instructions:


1) in a large bowl beat together shorting flour sugar baking powder baking soda salt bananas and buttermilk beat for 2 minutes

2) next add in eggs and next 1/3 buttermilk and beat for another 2 minutes


3)  pour into 2  9" round pans that are greased and floured


4)  put in oven and bake at 350 for 40 minutes


5) let cool then frost 


6) to make frosting in a smaller bowl add in  peanut butter vanilla mix in icing sugar and some milk to get it to the consistency you want I don't have a actual recipe I just make the amount I want each time 

                                                         

7) frost cake and then serve and enjoy

8) I keep my cake in the fridge to keep it moist  

special announcment

 My special announcement is Recently I told eloise she is going be a big sister. She is thrilled to have a baby joining our family in April. Eloise is so happy she has been telling people she is having a baby and that its in her belly its cute but I had to explain a few times to her before she realised the baby is in mommy's belly not hers. We have lots to work on before the new baby arrives. So that eloise is ready for the role of becoming a big sister. I have been including eloise in everything such as doctors appointments and the pregnancy announcement. I recently bought a Doppler to use at home and so that eloise can hear the baby's heart beat. I enjoyed  doing the announcement photos with eloise after spending hours on the internet I found the perfect idea for a announcement to include eloise to get her more hyped up for her new sibling. here is the announcement picture.

   I wanted to include my boyfriends two children too in the announcements where they are having a new sibling join their family too as it was to hard to get all 3 kids together for pictures and be in a good mood  I decided to to a second announcement  to include the whole  two family's that are now having a new sibling joining these two family's so here is our full family announcement for the new baby arriving in April to have in the baby book.

Winter activity frozen colourful balls of ice

This was a fun activity that I did with eloise. To teach her that water freezes and that outside is cold enough to freeze water. It makes a great out doors decoration for the winter time. These are very cool to watch melt too. Eloise enjoyed making these. The filling of the balloons was fun. We ended up having a water fight which was fun and it was a great memory made

What you will need:                               

Balloons.
Food Colour
Water
freezer or outdoor
rubber gloves












Instructions:

1)put a drop or two of one colour  into a balloon 

2) next fill balloon with water

3) repeat first two directions with different colours of food colour


4) next put in freezer or out side to freeze for a couple hours

5) next cut balloon off the frozen ball


6) enjoy seeing them decorate your yard and melt 


7) use rubber gloves to remove the balloon to avoid your hands from staining and when filling balloons.

sensory felt wall winter theme

With Christmas approaching I decided to share this awesome sensory activity. I made eloise last year for so that she wouldn't play with my actual Christmas tree. While pulling out my decorations this week I came across these felt wall activity's and put them up right away. Since putting them up eloise has been playing with the tree one for hours. I also put one up at my boyfriends house his daughter is in love with the snow man and plays for hours with it. This activity is for kids any age I made it when eloise was 1 years old and now at 2 1/2 she still loves it.  Brayden and Evelyn who are 5/6 love these wall activity's. Very simple and easy to make the kids will love playing with these. Felt wall activity's make great kid friendly Christmas decorations.

what you will need :

large blue sheet of felt (background)
Large green sheet of felt (tree)
large white sheet of felt (snowman)
 multiple colours of sheets of felt (ornaments )
brown felt (snowman arms) 
scissors
fabric glue
                                                              

 Instructions:



Tree:

1)  draw cut out the shape of a Christmas tree on the large sheet of green

2)  glue the tree onto the large blue sheet of felt

3)  cut out a tree skirt in any colour you want and glue it onto the blue felt under the tree

4) cut out a star fro the top of the tree and glue it on

5) choose colours of felt and draw ornaments then cut them out

6) cut out shapes to glue onto ornaments to decorate the ornaments

7) glue ornaments together and let dry 

8) cute out presents and bows to put under the tree

9)  hang up the tree on a wall when dry and then let kids decorate the tree

Snowman:

1)  draw and cut out 3 circles on large white sheet of felt make sure they are tree different sizes 

2)  glue the circles onto the large sheet of blue felt

3) next draw and cut out two branches on brown felt for arms

4) cut out circles for coal to make eyes and a mouth

5) cut out a carrot shape for a nose

6) next cut out any shape you want to use for buttons I used hearts.

7) next choose two or 3 colours to use as a scarf draw and cut out and glue together

8) draw a hat and cut it out if wanted make accessories for the hat and glue them onto the hat

9) let everything dry and then hang up the background with the snowman body on it

10) let kids make the snowman what ever way they want they can take it apart and rebuild him

apple crisp

What you will need:
Base:
6 apples
2 tbsp ground cinnamon

Topping:
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups quaker oats
2/3 cup melted butter
(extra cinnamon if you like)






Directions

(1) peel and core apples then slice into eighths or  sixteenths

(2) place apple slices into the bowl with cinnamon gently toss and coat in cinnamon then place in a casserole pan

(3) mix the flour and brown sugar in a bowl then add in oats 

(4) next mix the topping in bowl you can add extra cinnamon if wanted I always do

(5) next melt butter and pour it over the topping mixture and mix well

(6)sprinkle topping over the apples evenly

(7) bake at 350 for 30 minutes

(8)serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whip cream 


you can use this recipe to make peach crisp or rhubarb crisp just switch out the cinnamon for nutmeg.  

white chocolate and candy corn cookies

What you will need:

1 large egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup brown sugar , light packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
2 tsp corn starch 
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup  white chocolate chips
 1/2 cup butter unsalted
2 tbsp cream or half and half
1  1/2 cups candy corn


Directions:

(1)combine butter sugar,brown sugar ,salt corn starch, baking soda and egg in a bowl

(2) mix with a mixer till fully mixed then add in cream and vanilla and mix

(3)next mix in the flour till fully blended

(4) next with a spoon add in the chocolate chips and candy corn

(5) mix well to get the candy corn and chocolate chips all through the mixture

(6)then on a greased cookie sheet drop spoonful's of the batter 

(7)bake for 8-10 minutes  at 350

(8)let cool before removing from pan 

(9)serve and enjoy

fall sensory bin

What you need:                                      

popcorn kernels 

pine cones

leafs

chestnuts

gourds( mini pumpkins)





for playing you can use : measuring cups/spoons , ice cube try, small bowls even a toilet paper roll ton fill up with stuff can be used in the bin.


Instructions:

(1) Place corn kernels into the bin

(2) then add the pine cones

(3) next add in chestnuts 

(4) next you can add in some leafs as many as you want 

(5) last add in one or two gourds depending on what will fit in the bin you use

 Things to do with the bin you can get child to sort the pine cone from big to small
sort out each item like the leafs , pine cones, chestnut and gourds. Other ways to use the bin to learn would be to use a ice cube try , bowls or measuring cups and fill each with a different amount to teach depth. eloise loved using a spoon to fill a toilet paper roll with the kernels in the bin. this is one of Eloise's favourite things to play with she chooses this bin over her other ones.