Featured on Cupcakes on Parade!

I'm so excited that my Fondant Graduation Cap Cupcakes were featured on Ducks 'n a Row's Cupcakes on Parade #7.   I love seeing what cupcakes she picks each week to featured and actually fell out of my chair to see my cupcakes on there!  She picks the most amazing cupcakes and to be featured was like a dream!  Thank you Sinea Pies for the feature!!

Have a great day everyone!!

Gift For Other's ... Photo Memory Box (Or Jewelry Box)

This was a really cool gift I made for my mom with some new photos I had done of the family.  I found an idea for a Photo Planter on Real Housemoms.  WELL let's just say the photo planter I did turned out like crap.  I used a round terracotta planter and the photos wouldn't stick with the mod podge.  I tried using spray adhesive it was a royal mess.  The photo planter turned out ok but wasn't what I was wanting to do so plan B came to me.  I hit up Michael's to find oval Paper Mache Box Set, PERFECT.  I've very happy with how this one turned out. 

What you Need:

Photos (I did the same and turned them into B&W)

Mod Podge

Paint

Sponge Brush

Corner Cutter (optional)

Ribbon

Clear Acrylic Spray

Hot Glue Gun 

I painted my box with 2 coats of paint since my photo's wouldn't cover all the bank space.  I had some ivory on hand that worked perfect.
Cut photos to fit and cover the box (I used a corner cutter for the ones on the top of the box).Put mod podge on the back of a photo and place on the box (Repeat with each photo).Apply mod podge on top of every picture.Let dry and apply one more coat of mod podge.Let it dry.Cut your ribbon to fit around the outside of the lid of box (I used my glue gun you can do the whole mod podge steps like with photos but I'm a Let's Get it Done Girl so I glued the sucker down).Spray the whole planter with clear acrylic spray to remove any stickiness.

It was a pretty simple thing to do when I used the paper mache box.  Let me tell you the terracotta planter I tried first took hours and I was almost in tears when the photos wouldn't stay down!  You could use this as a gift for jewelry or like what I'm doing putting new photos in there as the gift for a memory box.  The box set came with 3 boxes I may just have to make myself one too!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Gifts For Others .... Father's Day Bottle Label's & Tags

I know I'm a little late on this idea, but with Caden's Mickey Mouse Birthday Party, I'm a little behind.  This is a simple gift that turned a normal gift of beer into something special.  My dad is a special guy, being an only child I was the daddy's little girl.  For many years it was just the two of us and he would work crazy night shifts to be with me during the day.  He is also one of those guys that has everything.  If he doesn't have it he would have bought it for himself.  But I do know how he loves a good beer.  When I saw this fun idea to dress up bottles of beer I knew it would be perfect.  I found this free template on Botanical Paperworks for fathers day but I've found several on a Google search that can be used for any special day.

What you need:

Free printable downloaded

Card stock paper

Glue or double-sided tape

Twine

Scissors / Paper Cutter

Hole punch

Print the download on  card stock.  Be careful and cut each tie and bottle wrap out.  I took a hole punch on the tie and used twine to attach to the neck of the bottle.  I found double-sided tape was the easiest to attach the label to the bottle.  After done put all the bottles back in and you have a great gift!

Tada easy and a special gift for the special dad.

It sure brought a smile to my dad's face.

This year Dad and I even shared the day, my bday landed on Father's Day.

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

Gift's For Others ... We Love You to Pieces

A few weeks back was the end of the volunteer time for the kids youth group, most groups don't go through the summer.  My women's group goes all year round, so the kids group is very small and doesn't have all the volunteer's like it does during the other time of year.  

I wanted to do something special for those men and women that come in each Wednesday and play and teach the kids (believe me it's not an easy thing handling 30+ kids).  I had some Reese's Pieces that I had left over from a baking project.  So I went on a search to find a thank you gift that had "piece's" in it to tie it in together.  I found this FREE printable on Mrs. Lirette's Learning Detectives.  Her free printable went perfect with the little bag of Reese'sPieces that I put together.

What You Need:

Reese's Pieces (I buy in bulk section at Winco)

Small Clear Plastic Bags (50pk $1 at Dollar Tree)

White Cardstock Paper

Inkjet Printer

Download her FREE Printable

Stapler or whole punch w/ Ribbon (or twine like I did)

Fill small bags with Reese's Pieces, I evenly separated out with the number of bags I was doing.  She had it set up with four per page, with was perfect!  I printed on cardstock and then took my paper trimmer to trim the four cards.  I took a whole punch and punched two holes and ran some twine through to tie the bags.  I didn't have any ribbon that would match so twine it was.  You should have seen the faces of the volunteers, it was wonderful to brighten their day.  This was such a simple gift but it had so much meaning and a big thanks to those wonderful people that put up with our kids on a Wednesday night when you know they are cranky and not wanting to hang out and do studies at 7p to 8p at night.

I hope you make this for someone special!

Brighten someone's day!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.

I'm an Addict ... Food Addict that is

I know when we hear the word addict we think of drugs or alcohol but not much of food.  When I was sitting in church this weekend our guest speaker talked about how we do good things but then we go and post on FB and Twitter etc about this great thing we did for someone else (called #humblebragging).  Made me think I do this, not in my head wanting to be recognized for the good dead just so proud that my kids are out there volunteering.  I need to rethink my way of saying what I'm doing.

2nd point he had that REALLY stuck with me is this saying:

Humility is not thinking less of yourself it's thinking less about yourself.  Thinking more of others.  

He gave us 3 action steps to make and one that stuck with me was Boast in your Weakness!  Every weakness is a testimony.  So hear is my testimony.  I'm addicted to food!  I have always battled my weight, it's been something I've been very open with this.  I've been on this weight loss journey for some time now.  I have been trying hard to get back to a healthy weight.  Believe me it's been hard work and a lot of sacrifice. 

I had a friend comment on Facebook:

Hey girl you are such an inspiration. You lost all the weight doing it the right way. Eating better and lots of exercise. You should consider doing a motivation/inspiration speaker. There are many over-weight people that believe they can't get back to healthy. They just need someone like you to tell them it is possible. Congratulations!!

I'm not a big public speaker, I do well in small groups.  But I do have a blog that I hope can be a forum to anyone going through the same struggles I have my whole life.  When I think back I was thinner child until around the time the lady we refer to the egg donor left when I was 5, after that the weight came on but not ton that came later.  Dad remarried and then the weight came on a little more.  Never feeling that I fit in during those awkward pre-teen and teen years lead to food as a comfort not for a source to fuel the body.  

The weight came on more when I become pregnant and never would loose the weight and then would go through the battle of loosing the weight all over again.  This will be the third time I've been on this journey.  Before my wedding I lost 80lbs, got pregnant on my honeymoon.  2 years later I loose 60lbs to get pregnant yet again!  5 years later I start the journey yet again.  Now I'm down 105lbs and still working on it.  I've hit a wall and not loosing any weight.   I've started to change my diet again doing different exercises to see if I can get some movement in the right direction.  I'm not giving up like I have in the past, I'm going to stick with this to get to my goal!

May ask how have you done it? I have done it through exercise and strict diet.  It has been a hard road of monitoring what I'm eating while other's around me and even me cooking for them a regular meal and I'm eating lean proteins with few carbs and very little sugar. It has not been an easy road and it will not be an easy road to keep it off but I'm grateful for where I am and the journey I have had to take to get here.

It's funny when you see people and they ask how much you have lost.  When I say 105lbs, some people say congrats but MOST will look at me and then with a shocked look try to change the subject.  It's like they don't know if they should say wow you were very heavy or wow you were obese.  

It's like with any disease or addiction from the outside people who don't have to deal with it have no clue what it is like.  This journey has helped me be more understanding of others and not being so judgemently (still working on this one).  Some of us wear our demons on the outside (like being over weight) and some on the inside.

I'm still a work in progress and taking one day at a time.  I find help from asking God to help me with this journey some may not and again this is a no judgement place.  We all find the thing that helps us move forward.  

I hope that my journey of failure and progress can help others.  Telling my story is one of the biggest form of humility I've had in a long time.  Weight has been a hard struggle for me and has pushed me to the ground many times.  Many people try to help in their own way and sometimes this help can be very hurtful.  People really do try their best and that is another lesson to learn (still working on that one too) that even with the words that cut like swords to my soul are coming from a place of love.

People around us may not always be that GREAT support system that we need, but that is something we need to learn that we have to do it by ourselves and for us.

Still on my journey and I'll make it there some day it may be in the next few weeks or maybe the next few months.  I know that it's a journey and one that I will be on for the rest of my life.

A few years back my friend gave me a book by our Pastor Dean Curry @ Life Center (Boost! 52 Infusions of wisdom to revolutionize the way you think and live):

My resentments almost always come from pride.  I think I deserve more deference, gratitude  and ease then Jesus enjoyed.  HUMBLE yourself .... 

The most beautiful places in nature have been shaped by STORMS more then by SUNSHINE. 

What happens TO YOU doesn't have to be a curse .... ON YOU. You can REVIEW, REBUKE, or RENEW everything that happens. 

God often hides something you need in someone (or something) you don't enjoy. M.Murdock.

"Brokenness" can become a blessing! How? It RELEASES us from attachment, REMINDS us of grace to live by, and RECONNECTS us to purpose. 

Humility is living without the need for a BOOST UP for yourself or a PUT DOWN for someone else. 

Optimism isn't overlooking FACTS to paint a false picture; it's overcoming FEAR to paint a better future.

Hope someone may find a boost or motivation.

This was a month or so back, need to take a new one.

Mickey Mouse Party Recap

It's been a few weeks of all the items I made for the party so I thought it would be nice to have them all together in one blog post for you.  I've put the picture of the item with a link to the post it was on.  This was a very fun party to do, and you know I'm a theme girl and go a little crazy but the kids will be small only for so long, soon enough they won't want mom to do a themed party so I'm going to run with it until I can no longer.

Mickey Mouse Cookies

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Mickey Mouse Crayons

Mickey Mouse Rice Crispy Heads

Mickey Mouse Head Treat Bags


Mickey Mouse Invites

Mickey Mouse Invites #2

Mickey Mouse Party Count Down Chain

Mickey Mouse Utensils


Mickey Mouse Ears


Mickey Mouse Cake


Mickey Mouse Hat's


Mickey Mouse Food Labels


Mickey Mouse Banner w/ Birthday Boy Photo


Hot Diggity Dog Station

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes (3 Versions)


Mickey Mouse Cupcakes (3 Versions)


Mickey Mouse Cupcakes (3 Versions)


Mickey Mouse Cakepops


Mickey Mouse Crayon Thank You Gifts


Mickey Mouse Coloring Books - Thank You Gifts


Mickey Mouse Thank You Gift Boxes


Mickey Mouse Thank You Gifts


Mickey Mouse Bow Ties


Mickey Mouse Watermelon Bites

Mickey Mouse Cookies

Mickey Mouse Munch


Hope you enjoyed this party.  

If you're looking for a different party theme. 
I've done so far:
 Graduation, Race Car, Tron, Beach, Sharks, Lego, and Star Wars.

Mickey Mouse Party ... Food Ideas

And we end with the fun themed food made for this party!  I had so much more planned but time got away with me with work etc.   So we end with some fun food items!

Here is what we have this post:

Caden actually made these himself for me!  All I had to do was the cut the tops off the strawberries and wash the fruit!   Found this idea on Creative Kid Snacks, they did Minnie so I just switched the name to Mickey :).

Mickey Mouse Bow-Ties

Strawberries
Grapes (or Blueberries)
Plastic long toothpicks (found at Dollar Tree)

Wash the fruit first, then cut the tops off the strawberries.  One strawberry then grape then end with strawberry on the toothpick!!  Super easy and they were so cute, so many compliments on this one!

Mickey Mouse Watermelon

Watermelon
Small Mickey Mouse Cookie Cutter

Cut your watermelon thin I did not and it made it hard for the cutter to cut through.  I put them in my nice serving tray and perfect size for little hands.

Mickey Mouse Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions.  Preheat oven to 325°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.  Mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined.  Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.  Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Roll dough to make Mickey's ears by taking about 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of dough and rolling into balls. Make 12 of these small balls.  Next divide the dough evenly to make 6 balls for Mickey's head. Using the two prepared cookie sheets, place 3 balls of cookie dough for Mickey's head on each cookie sheet, evenly spread apart, then assemble the ears in the correct position to make the Mickey shape leaving a tiny space between the ears and the head.

Bake, reversing positions of cookie sheets halfway through.  Bake until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy, about 11-14 minutes. Do not over bake.  Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I found this idea on Love to be in the Kitchen.  So her's came out perfect, MINE expanded and looked like Mickey needed to go on a diet.  So I did what anyone would do, cry ... THEN I took out my cookie cutters, I was able to cut one big cookie and 2 small cookies in Mickey shape!  She also dipped the ears in chocolate, but let's just say I was lucky to get what I ended up with. 

Mickey Mouse Munch

Lastly but as I was told by everyone at the party this was the best stuff ever.  I found this GREAT recipe at my amazing friend Brenda over at Chatting Over Chocolate.  Her's was much prettier then mine because I had this brilliant idea to pipe my chocolate on.  WELL I couldn't find my pipping bag to save my life and thought I'll just use a zip-lock bag. WELL the bag exploded the chocolate gobbed in a big ball so I went to plan B and put the mix with the glob in a bowl put the lid on and shook it up!!

Ingredients:

Popcorn, popped
White Chocolate Almond Bark (I used Red Wilton Melt's)
Red and Yellow Mini M&Ms (I used Red, Yellow; Brown M&M's)
Red and Yellow Sprinkles (I skipped)

Boston Beans (they were Red)

Chocolate Covered Raisins

What to do:

Spread popcorn out on wax paper (or foil) covered baking sheet.  Drizzle chocolate over the popcorn (now this is where a heavy duty piping bag is BETTER then a zip-lock bag).  Add your candy (I added in the Boston Beans and Chocolate covered raisins for the red and brown color).  I added in yellow, red and brown m&m's.  I thought the red melt would be perfect for a pop of color. NOW if I did it correct it would be pretty ... but as I said it tasted awesome.

And that is a wrap on our birthday party!

Mickey Mouse Projects Done:

Mickey Mouse Invites
Mickey Mouse Invites #2

Mickey Mouse Head Treat Bags

Mickey Mouse Rice Crispy Heads

Mickey Mouse Crayons
Mickey Mouse Cupcakes
Mickey Mouse Cookies
Mickey Mouse Party Count Down Chain
Mickey Mouse Utensils
Mickey Mouse Ears
Mickey Mouse Cake
Mickey Mouse Hat's
Mickey Mouse Food Labels
Mickey Mouse Banner w/ Birthday Boy Photo
Hot Diggity Dog Station
Mickey Mouse Cupcakes (3 Versions)
Mickey Mouse Cakepops
Mickey Mouse Crayon Thank You Gifts
Mickey Mouse Coloring Books - Thank You Gifts
Mickey Mouse Thank You Gift Boxes
Mickey Mouse Thank You Gifts

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.