How to Make a Christmas Wreath Out of Starlight Mints

November 21, 2019

I’m not sure where I got the idea for this Starlight Mint Christmas wreath…but the fact is, this was such a fun and simple craft project.

I’m using it as a wreath, but it’s also perfect as a centerpiece…just add a mason jar with flowers or branches (click over to see the rest of this gingerbread house party post!)

Here’s what you need:

Starlight Mints
Silicone Muffin Pan
Mod Podge Hard Coat
Embroidery Hoop
Hot Glue

Step 1: Spray your muffin pan with cooking spray. I gave it a really thorough coat; I definitely didn’t want these sticking! Add two mints per cup.

I tried different variations (2 of the same color, 2 different colors, stacked, side-by-side) to see what I liked best. For me, I think I liked two of the same color side-by-side, but it’s really up to you.

Step 2: Place in a 350 oven for somewhere between 3-8 minutes. Just keep a good eye on them and pull once they’ve melted. Let cool.

Step 3: Take your embroidery hoop, and begin hot gluing your mints around your hoop. I glued mints all the way around, and then began stacking/overlapping the mints for a second layer.

Step 3: Next, you’ll want to seal your wreath so it lasts a bit longer and doesn’t get sticky. I used Mod Podge Hard Coat, applying three thin coats and letting them dry in between.

Thanks for reading all about my Starlight Mint Christmas wreath!

Have a great day!

Christmas crafty things holidays

How to Make Embroidery Hoop Ornaments

September 24, 2019

Happy Fall, friends!

Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite and most popular holiday posts from last year–the how-to for my personalized hoop ornaments! If you want to get a jump-start on your Christmas crafting, this is the place to start.

Don’t be intimidated, though, these only take an hour or so to make once you get the hang of it. They make perfect holiday gifts, and are also great to sell.

Enjoy!

Looking for an easy, customizable, and just downright adorable gift idea? Look no further. These personalized hoop ornaments will make the perfect gift for the little ones in your life, and I’m sharing the how-to with you all right here!

Materials:
4″ embroidery hoops
embroidery floss
buttons
fabric
disappearing ink marker

Step 1: Open up your word processing program, type out the name you want for your hoop, and choose your font (mine is blackjack).

Cut out your name, and, with the name underneath your fabric, trace it onto your fabric using a marker with disappearing ink (I used a lightbox for this step). If you have pretty handwriting, you can skip this step altogether and just hand write out your name onto your fabric.

Step 2: Insert fabric into your embroidery hoop. Thread your needle, and begin outlining your name. Sublime Stitching has a great collection of tutorials if you’re new to embroidery (I use the backstitch).

Next, choose your buttons, and stitch them around your name using white thread.

Step 3: Almost done! Turn your hoop over, trim the excess fabric using pinking shears, and hot glue to the inside of your hoop.

These are seriously fun to make! Send me a pic if you make some yourself, I’d love to see!

Celebrations/Vacations Saint Patrick's Day Spring

Easy Leprechaun Trap and Bait Recipe For Kids

March 5, 2019

Looking for an Easy Leprechaun Trap and Bait Recipe For Kids? You’ve come to the right place!

Making themed food and crafts is always enjoyable, especially when it’s fast, easy, and kid-friendly!

While celebrations like the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas have a plethora of festive treats and projects, holidays like St. Patrick’s Day are often forgotten.

Of course, there are parades and parties, but families don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like they do the other holidays.

Get in the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green from head to toe and working with your family to catch a leprechaun with this free, printable leprechaun trap!

And then go make this Leprechaun Bait, the perfect kid-friendly Saint Patrick’s Day treat!

Personal Creations made a delicious recipe for this snack bait and created printables to help catch your leprechaun too. The first step to catching a leprechaun is to make a delicious snack to act as bait.

Be sure to make extra because you and your little ones will love it as well! A salty and sweet treat mix is the traditional lure, but there is also a yummy healthy option.

Simply mix together square rice cereal, popcorn, pretzels, marshmallows, chocolate candies, melted white chocolate (with green food coloring), and green sprinkles.

Leprechaun Bait Recipe

Making themed food and crafts is always enjoyable, especially when it’s fast, easy, and kid-friendly! Enjoy this festive leprechaun bait recipe!

Ingredients

1 cup rice square cereal
1 cup popcorn
1 cup pretzels
½ cup marshmallows
½ cup chocolate candies
8 ounces white chocolate melts
Green sprinkles
Green food coloring

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine rice square cereal, popcorn, pretzels, marshmallows and chocolate candies. Mix together.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the white chocolate on low heat until smooth. Microwave for 30 seconds, and then in 15 second intervals to assure you don’t burn the chocolate.
Once melted, stir in green food coloring and pour the white chocolate over your dry mix.
Stir your mix until it is evenly coated.
On wax paper, spread your mixture out evenly and top with green sprinkles.
Allow the mix to cool for 10-15 minutes. Put in bags or a bowl to enjoy!

The hardest part about this recipe is trying not to eat it all! Use a leprechaun bait tag to seal your goodies for pack lunches and safe-keeping.

We also have a healthy version you can try…

Healthy Leprechaun Bait Recipe

A healthy leprechaun bait recipe perfect for celebrating Saint Patricks Day with kids!

Ingredients

1 cucumber
1 green bell peppers
1 bunch of celery
Favorite veggie dip or dressing

Instructions

Thinly slice cucumber, green bell peppers, and celery sticks.
Arrange all the vegetables on a small tray, in a bowl or in a bag.
Place a small bowl of your favorite veggie dip or dressing nearby.

You can download the free printable Leprechaun Bait tags here!

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading all about our Easy Leprechaun Bait Recipe For Kids. Have a lovely day!

crafty things holidays Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day Messages for Kids Tradition

January 29, 2019

Looking for an easy tradition to start with your kids? This Valentine’s Day messages for kids activity is perfect not only for Valentine’s Day, but for birthdays, too!

Valentine’s Day is just a couple of weeks away. I started this countdown activity with my kids last year, and we loved it so much, I decided to make it an annual tradition!

This Valentines’s Day messages countdown is perfect for birthdays as well. It’s a fun way to share with kids all the many things you love about them, and it’s inexpensive and easy, as well!

You can make this countdown as long as you like; I stick to about 14 days (starting on February 1st). Just cut out (or purchase) some cardstock hearts (here’s a link to some on Amazon you can check out)!

I purchased red and pink hearts, one color for each of my kids. You can also purchase a variety of colors and mix and match (I did this last year).

Each day leading up to Valentine’s Day (or your child’s birthday, if you’re doing this as a birthday countdown), tape one heart to his/her door using washi tape (which should be able to be removed easily once the countdown is done).

My kids loved reading their Valentine’s Day messages last year, and I can’t wait to start this tradition up again this year! Such a GREAT way to list all of the wonderful things that make your kid(s) special!

We have more easy and fun Valentine’s Day activities and printables here!

Thanks so much for reading all about our Valentine’s Day Messages for Kids Tradition. Have a lovely day!

food and recipes holidays Valentine's Day

Valentines Day Peppermint Cream Cheese Mints

January 2, 2019

Valentine’s Day Peppermint Cream Cheese Mints are the perfect way to celebrate the holiday! Package some up to give as teacher or neighbor gifts; just add to a clear bag and tie with a length of twine!

Friends, I have so many good things to say about these easy Valentines Day Peppermint Cream Cheese Mints. They are simple, easy to make, and are perfect for Valentines Day!

I made this easy holiday treat two ways. First, with the traditional fork crisscross pattern, and then covered with white heart sprinkles.

Here’s what you need to make them yourself…

4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
food coloring (optional)
1-2 tablespoons milk (optional)

Add your softened cream cheese to stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer).

Mix for 1 minute, then add your confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, letting each addition incorporate before adding another.

You want your mixture firm, but moist. If your mixture is too hard, add a tablespoon of milk and mix in. If your mixture is too moist, add more powdered sugar.

Add your extract, then, if you’re making more than one color, divide into bowls. Add food coloring and mix in.

Refrigerate mixture for about an hour, as mixture will be sticky!

Form balls and place on parchment covered sheet pans. Flatten and decorate. Refrigerate until firm. Store in refrigerator in airtight container.

After you make your mixture (full recipe is below), simply divide into bowls and use food coloring to make as many different colors as you’d like.

These turned out amazing! We all loved them, and I can’t wait to package them up for some Valentine’s Day treats!

Christmas crafty things holidays

Kids Christmas Tree Craft Idea

December 19, 2018

This kids Christmas tree craft idea is a fun and easy way to decorate for the holidays and share some quality crafting time together! Ice cream cones make the cutest trees (just be sure to leave extra for snacking).

These ice cream cone Christmas trees are a great classroom project, or make them at home and use them as holiday decor around your home! Mine are being used as a colorful and fun dining room table centerpiece!

Here’s what you need to make this easy kids Christmas tree craft for yourself:

Sugar Ice Cream Cones
Green Icing (I had white icing that I added green food coloring to)
Assorted Candies

In addition to icing, I put out a variety of sprinkles, coconut flakes (they look like snow), m&ms and other various candies. The more the merrier!

First, have your kids spread icing on the ice cream cones. I found that a thicker layer of icing helps the candies stick to the cones better.

Then, let your kids decorate to their heart’s content! There’s no wrong way to make these, and kids from toddler age on up will enjoy decorating their cones (and sampling the goods along the way).

Find lots more Christmas for kids inspiration in this post, including calendars, crafts, recipes and more!

Thanks so much for reading all about our Kids Christmas Tree Craft Idea. Have a great day!

Christmas crafty things holidays

How to Make Initial Christmas Ornaments with Salt Dough

December 18, 2018

One of my favorite holiday traditions I have with my kids is to make salt dough ornaments. They’re so much fun, and easy, too!

Today, I’m sharing one version of our salt dough ornaments–initials that you can attach to gifts or hang from the tree!

Salt dough Christmas ornaments are such a great holiday tradition! They’re perfect as gifts, or to use as a gift topper!

Here’s what you need to make your own:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
3/4-1 cup water
Initial cookie cutters
Mod Podge Sparkle
Paint for dipping (if desired)
Twine or ribbon for hanging

Step 1: Make your dough by mixing your flour, salt and water. If your dough is too dry, add a bit more water, if it’s too wet, just add more flour . . . salt dough is very forgiving; it’s hard to mess it up!

Step 2: Roll out your dough and cut out your initials. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Step 3: Use the end of a skewer to poke a hole at the top of each initial for hanging. Bake at 250 degrees for 2-3 hours. Let cool.

Step 4: I decided to dip my ornaments in gold paint (which I added to a cup and mixed with about a tablespoon of water to thin), but you can decorate your ornaments with glitter, craft paint, or anything else your heart desires.

Dip your initials, and let dry on parchment paper.

Step 5: Once dry, add a coat (or more) of Mod Podge (I used Mod Podge Sparkle) to help seal the ornaments and give them a bit of shimmer.

Thanks for reading all about How to Make Initial Christmas Ornaments with Salt Dough! Have a great day!

Christmas crafty things holidays Winter

Snowman Activity for Kids {Make Snowman Candy Bars}

December 13, 2018

Looking for a cute snowman activity for kids to make over winter break? These snowman candy bars are easy, adorable, and make great gifts for neighbors and friends!

I can barely stand the cuteness, guys. This easy snowman craft is perfect for kids, easily customizable, and makes a fun christmas gift or party favor.

I’ve made snowman candy bars in the past, but wanted to update them a bit! I kept my favorite elements of the original version (bakers twine scarf!), but added a few updates (sequins! fake snow!)

Materials:

candy bars
plain paper for wrapping
sequins
googly eyes
bakers twine
black cardstock (for the hat)
orange cardstock (for the nose)
black craft paint
clear glitter or fake snow (optional)
Mod Podge

Step 1: Wrap your candy bars in white paper. I used plain printer paper and it worked great!

Step 2: Use hot glue to glue on your googly eyes. Cut triangles out of your cardstock (I used glitter cardstock, since I had it on hand, but anything, including construction paper, will do), and glue them onto your bars, as well.

Step 3: Wrap your bakers twine (yarn works for this, as well) around your candy bar, and tie for a scarf. Use a Q-tip and a dab of craft paint to paint on a mouth.

Cut out hat shapes out of your black cardstock, and use a bit of Mod Podge to adhere a bit of glitter or fake snow to your hats (I even added a bit at the bottom of each snowman).

Glue hat shape onto each snowman head and sequins onto each body for the buttons.

So, so cute, and so many ways to customize these using what you have on hand! This snowman craft would also be a fun project for kids to make for their teachers and classmates.

Thanks so much for reading all about our Snowman Activity for Kids {Make Snowman Candy Bars}. Have a great day!

Christmas holidays

Easy Glitter Christmas Gift Tags

December 3, 2018

These Easy Glitter Christmas gift tags are a fun way to add some color and texture to your gift wrap. Make them for Christmas, or change up the colors and stamp to make for birthdays or any other occasion you can think of!

Presentation really is everything!! These easy glitter gift tags are a quick Christmas craft that add big impact to your holiday gifts.

Here’s what you need…

Materials:

Mod Podge Matte
Kraft Gift Tags
Ink Pad
Confetti
Merry Christmas Stamp (similar, here-just make sure your stamp is smaller than your gift tag)
Bakers Twine

Step 1: Stamp your kraft tags, making sure to leave room at the end for adding your confetti.

Step 2: Using a foam brush, add some Mod Podge to the end of your gift tag. Dip in your confetti, tap off the excess, and let dry.

Super-cute, right? You can customize these for any holiday or color scheme, too. I love the dose of color and sparkle these tags will give to my gifts this year.

The candles above are a great (and easy) Christmas Gift Idea!

Thanks for reading all about my stamped Christmas gift tags! Have a fantastic day!

food and recipes holidays Saint Patrick's Day

Rainbow Party Ideas {Make Easy Rainbow Treats}

February 26, 2018

Rainbow parties and crafts are so trendy right now and I love creating clever and easy rainbow party ideas. This easy rainbow treat takes only three ingredients, and is perfect for a rainbow themed party or even St. Patrick’s Day!

Rainbow themed parties are so fun! If you’re looking for easy rainbow party ideas, these easy treats are for you! With just three ingredients, they’re perfect for a fun treat or a favor. Just place some in a glassine bag and tie with some rainbow ribbon!

Here’s the easy and quick recipe!

What you need:

These are so simple to make. Just preheat your oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place your pretzels flat on your baking sheet, and top each one with a candy melt.

Place in the oven for about 3 minutes–you don’t want to melt your candy melts, you just want to soften them a bit!

Pull them out of the oven, and carefully place one rainbow candy in the center of each, pressing down slightly.

Let cool (I placed mine in the refrigerator so that they’d cool a bit more quickly), and enjoy!

So easy and so delicious! Such an easy treat idea for your rainbow themed party or rainbow-loving friend!

Looking for more rainbow party ideas? We have plenty of inspiration!

A rainbow fringe wreath is a super easy and CUTE way to celebrate all things rainbow! You only need a few supplies and about an hour to put this together!

This “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” free printable is an easy and inexpensive way to add some rainbow art to your space!

Unicorn Slime is an easy and fun craft project or favor idea! Use glitter in rainbow colors to match your rainbow theme!

Thanks for reading all about my Rainbow Party Ideas {Make Easy Rainbow Treats}. Have a crafty day!

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