Create-Celebrate-Explore

Bunny Ear Headbands

We had a pot-luck style Easter party today that was organized by one of our friends.  My contribution to the party was not cake (because my fabulous cake decorating girlfriend was supposed to be there and my cake decorating skills are shameful compared to her), but instead it was a craft project for the kids. 

I saw these fun bunny ear headbands at (a fellow military wife) Candace Lindemann's blog Naturally Educational and thought these would be fabulous for the party, especially with the various age ranges that would be attending.

I left a tape dispenser out and found that the older kids were more than happy to tape their bunny ears to the headband themselves, but for the little ones I quickly stapled them on as I noticed any new crafters sitting down at the table.  I also set out two different types of glue, the Elmer's School Glue for attaching pom poms and the Elmer's Glue Sticks for attaching the colored section of the ear to the white background.  The kids had alphabet foam stickers, assorted Easter themed foam stickers, glitter glue, pom poms and crayons to decorate their headbands.

Easter Checkers

Looking for an Easter craft to do with all of those egg cartons that you hoard?  I have just the thing.

Easter Checkers.

This is what you will need to make this fun Easter game for the kids:

• 1 16x16" thick ply wood
• Paint:  Pink (matte & metallic), Yellow (matte & metallic), green and blue
• Egg cartons (24 egg cups)
• Card stock: orange, yellow glitter, pink glitter (2 shades)
• White pom poms
• Elmer's glue spots: thin mini and pop-up medium
• Wiggly eyes
• Black marker
• X-Acto knife, scissors, ruler and paint brushes.

To make the bunnies:

Paint the egg cups with the matte pink, once dry, paint a second coat using the metallic paint.  Cut out ears from the glitter card stock, attach the center using the mini glue spots. Poke a hole in the top of the egg cup with the X-Acto knife and insert the ears, attach to the inside of the egg cup using the mini glue spots.  Attach the pom pom tail using the medium glue spots and the wiggly eyes using the mini glue spots.  Draw on the rest of the facial features using a permanent marker.

To make the chicks:

As per the instructions for the bunnies.  Substitute pink paint for yellow.  Attach the wings using the medium glue spots and the fuzzy top exactly the same way as you did the bunny ears.  Fold a piece of orange card stock in half, cut out small triangles (beak) and attach using mini glue spots.

Now play, play, PLAY!

AS SEEN ON:

All Free Holiday Crafts

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Disclosure: This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias ( #gluenglitter )

Foam Stamps

Hands up if you have a set of interlocking foam alphabet, number or animal play mats.  The twins haven't played with theirs for at least a year.  We are gearing up to move house so I have been tossing and donating left and right. 

Side note: I should also probably be banned from entering stores between now and our move date because I seem to bring home two bags for every one I get rid of.  

During a toss-out vs donate frenzy on Monday I found an entire box full of foam play mat pieces.  I studiously set to work piecing it back together so I could clean it and donate it.  Of course there were at least a dozen pieces missing.  I eventually gave in and tossed them in the trash.  But I felt guilty.  I hate throwing things away. I always try to find a way to re-use items.

Last night when everyone was in bed the light bulb finally went off.  And dumpster diving style I went into the trash bin and retrieved as many pieces as I could.   Thank goodness too because the trash truck arrived this morning.

I dug up some scraps of wood in my craft room and a bottle of Elmer's Craft Bond and set to work making stamps for the kids. 

Then I tested out a couple before the kids came home from school.  The verdict: these work great if you pour a little paint onto a re-usable plate, similar to what we did for the Spring Memory Book project.

Or you can hand paint them and create something like this:

These would make a lovely handmade Easter card for someone special. 

Easter Treat: Chocolate Crackle Nests

Chocolate Crackles are a typical party treat in Australia.   I have tried to make them once since I moved to the states, but they just didn't taste the same. Normally they are made with copha, which is difficult to find here and the substitute I tried at the time just didn't cut it.

Then after some research I found another product I could use instead; coconut oil.  I couldn't wait to try them (being a huge fan of anything coconut, and coconut flakes are an ingredient in these already).

A traditional chocolate crackle is mixed together the same way I will outline below, but the mixture is spooned into a muffin or cupcake paper or foil baking cup (patty pan for the Aussies) and left full, instead of hollowing out an area to make a nest shape.  This is a great recipe to have the kids help out with as it's primarily measuring and mixing - adults should take care of the coconut oil portion of the recipe though.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Rice Krispies
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup confectioners sugar (sifted)
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1 1/4 cups coconut oil

Place the coconut oil into a small saucepan and stir over low heat until melted.

Combine the rice krispies, cocoa powder, confectioners sugar and flaked coconut in large mixing bowl. 

Gently pour the coconut oil over the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon.

Spoon mixture into baking cups.  Using a small spoon, make a well in the center of the chocolate crackle to form a nest shape.  Place baking cups in the refrigerator until set.  Approximately 1 hour.

These will make a great treat for a Easter or school party, or for kids to give to their friends.  Just pop each one into a small clear gift bag or a small treat box and tie with a ribbon.

Note:  You could also add raisins or chocolate chips into this recipe.

Spring Memory Books

I'm over at Multiples and More today sharing a tutorial to make a Spring Memory Book with your kids.  They can fill the pages with writing, drawing, dried flowers, photographs, anything they want to remember their spring adventures.

 

This post linked to:

 

 

Carrot Cake

Did you know that February 3rd is National Carrot Cake Day.  No?  Me either.  Until the lovely folks at Smart & Final announced it via Twitter and Facebook and after further investigation I found it to be true. 

Never one to miss an opportunity to make cake...

Cake Ingredients

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 tbs applesauce
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrot
• 1 can crushed pineapple (drained)
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 1 12oz tub of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Turn the oven to 350 (F).

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

In a second bowl blend (on medium speed) the eggs, sugar, applesauce, buttermilk and vanilla. 

Gradually add the dry ingredients into the second bowl (about a cup at a time), blending as you go until all of the dry ingredients have been added and combined thoroughly.

Fold in the carrot, crushed pineapple, pecans and coconut.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes if doing mini cupcakes (pictured above), but if doing a cake (which I did in 2 loaf pans) then bake for approx 30 minutes.

Frosting:

Blend all 4 ingredients in a bowl on medium speed until combined.

Once piped on (I used a 4B tip), top with a little grated carrot.

And just because the photograph above doesn't show the delicious chunky ingredients in the cake...

Wouldn't these make a lovely Easter Party Treat too.

Easter Sunday

Our day began with the Easter bunny ringing the doorbell and leaving gifts on the front step - because mummy forgot to leave out his special key last night.  That bunny is quick though, he'd disappeared before the twins had opened the door.  Next time bunny.  Next time.  

This is one of Flynn's gifts: a Firefighter Lego set.

Opening gifts was quickly followed by an egg hunt in the backyard before having scrambled eggs for brunch.

Of course Marisol had to use her new magnifying glass to spot the eggs - and yes she picked her outfit today.

The coveted golden egg (that contains money) was of course found by Jay.  The twins haven't learned the value of finding that one yet.  Although next year Jay may have some competition.

A few of the treats inside the eggs and gifts dropped off by the Easter Bunny.
   

And of course there was cookie decorating.  But first, Marisol had to make the cookies.

She added the egg and butter and mixed and mixed and mixed ... until I had to take over.

Then she rolled out the dough ...

and cut out super cute Spring shapes

Once they were baked and cooled, it was time to decorate.
   

and eat, of course

Birdie in a Nest Game

A re-make of the old ball-in-a-cup game.

This is the Spring craft project I made for the twins to give their little preschool friends.

 

YOU WILL NEED:

• Egg cartons
• Paint: 2 colors
• Knitting needles: Size 5 and size 3.5
• Knitting yarn: 2 colors
• Yellow felt
• Orange thread
• Hot glue
• Wiggly eyes
• Stuffing

HOW TO MAKE:

Cut out the cups from the egg cartons.

 

You want these to be as large/wide as you can so although most people would cut them down to avoid the holes, use the remainder of the egg carton to cut out pieces and glue them into the gaps, then paint.  Note:  I did not do this step first as you will see from the photograph.  Initially I had a slightly different idea of how I wanted these to look, but changed my mind after making up a few prototypes.

 

Paint your egg cups.  I used a teal paint on the outside and a shiny champagne on the inside.

Knit your surround for the top of the cup:  Cast on 28 stitches.  Knit 5 rows garter stitch (knit).  Cast off.  Stitch the ends together and slip it over the egg cup (from the bottom).  Attach with hot glue.

Next, make your bird: Cast on 7 stitches.  Knit 27 rows garter stitch (knit). Cast off.  Stitch the cast on / cast off edges together.  Using a large sewing needle (for wool) gather the stitches around one edge and pull tight.  Sew a couple of stitches so it doesn't come loose.  Turn inside out.  Fill with stuffing (not too much), then using the sewing needle gather stitches around the opening and pull tight.  Leave a long end. You have a little ball.  Now add on your wiggly eyes, cut a small beak from yellow felt and hand-stitch it on with orange thread. 

Using the long yarn end and the sewing needle run the yarn back through the center of the bird to the tip of the head, form a few loops (loose stitches), but make sure each one is secure.  Run the yarn back down through the center to the bottom.

Keeping the yarn threaded into the sewing needle pierce a hole in the base of the egg cup (nest) and pull the yarn through.  Remove the needle and knot the end of the yarn.  To ensure it stays in place put a little hot glue over it.

 

Viola.  You are done.  All that's left to do is to watch your little ones trying to get their birdie back in its nest.

 

LAST MINUTE EASTER

If you are like me you are running late for everything, including getting up blog posts about fun Easter things before the event rolls around.

So here are a few last minute Easter things that you can still throw together.

Turn your peeps into marshmallow pops.  Perfect for little ones to stop those sticky fingers.  Thank you to Bakerella for this idea, my kids are loving it.

Plastic eggs + edible grass + jelly beans = an egg hunt that the kids will love

You can make this with sticks and a little bird and nest from the craft store.  I was able to purchase mine from Cost Plus World Market.   I popped it into glass and filled it with jelly beans. 

There are FREE downloadable Easter books full of wonderful ideas, just click on the links below:

EASTER INSPIRED FINGER PUPPETS

 

What you need:

• Felt – white, pink, yellow, grey, orange and black
• Embroidery thread – pink, orange, white and black
• Eyes
• Permanent marker
• white pom pom

How to make:

Trace around your pointer finger from about knuckle to finger tip but make the line about 5 mm wider to allow for sewing.

Draw a stencil for the duck wings, bunny and mouse ears.  Cut out all pieces use as a template on the felt

As you stitch up the main body add in ears or wings accordingly.

Attach eyes and a tail for the bunny.

Draw other facial features.

* I made these today for an Easter egg hunt with friends.  Each finger puppet sat on a bed of jelly beans inside an egg *

* FEATURED AT: One Crafty Place