Crumb Cake

It is officially the winter here in England. Frozen windsheild in the morning, smells of wood burning in the wood burning stoves, Children watching their breath as they walk to school. You know all those lovely things which come in the winter. One of my favorit things in the winter is Hot Chocolate. I also enjoy a cake of some sort with it and this is one of my favorit cakes!! It is so moist and so delish! Honest try making it yourself and see if you can limit yourself to just one piece!!

Crumb Cake

Ingredients:

CAKE
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups biscuit mix
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar.
Beat eggs and milk; mix with butter.
In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder, then add to butter mixture.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan.
For crumb topping: Cut butter into sugar, biscuit mix, and cinnamon.
Sprinkle over batter in pan.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until done.
Top with the 1/4 - 1/2 C powdered sugar when cool.

Enjoy!

Candy Cane Reindeer

Every Christmas since my 6 year old has been in school she has wanted to make and take a gift for every child in her school class. So each year we make these bad boys and she gives them out to her friends at school. They are really cute and fun for her to make. She gives them out with her Christmas Cards.

I know that you probably all know how to make them but for those of you who dont here is how I do them:

What you'll need:

Low temp hot glue gun

Ribbons or yarn for hanging

1 wrapped candy cane (this has to be wrapped around the candy, not a 'bagged' candy cane)

1 tiny pom-pom for the nose

2 little wiggle eyes (or paper eyes drawn and cut out)

Brown pipe cleaners for the antlers

How to make it:

Look at the picture above - make antlers out of pipe cleaners, wrap them around the candy cane on the curve and glue them.

Add two wiggle eyes and a pom-pom nose.

You're done!

These can be added to packages or cards or used as table center pieces.

Thanksgiving M&M Turkey Place Markers

Love this idea!! You can also right the names of yours guests on the feet and use as place markers! Click here to get instructions.

Snowmen Handprint Ornament

found the idea here... i painted nathans hand white and pressed against the side of an ornament. painted each finger to look like a snowman and attached the following poem...

these aren't just five snowman, as anyone can see.

they're made from my handprint, which is a part of me.

now each year when you trim the tree, you'll look back and recall

christmas of 2009, when my hand was just this small.

Christmas wreath

Check out this adorable wreath. It was so easy to make. I still havnt put the finishing touches on but you get the idea. I just took a wire hanger apart and strung christmas bulbs on it then closed it back up. So easy. The wreath in the tutorial is way cuter than mine so check it out.
http://www.eddieross.com/eddie_ross/2008/12/no-wire-hangers-well-maybe-just-one.html

Soft Bowling Ball and Pins

i found this tutorial on london mummys blog and knew i had to make them! they're called skittles. i just call them soft bowling ball and pins :) but anyways, they were fun to make! the bottoms are filled with rice and the rest is polyfill, so they stand nicely. the top and bottom have white cordorouy for better grip on the carpet. what a great christmas gift idea right!

Rudolph Brownies

1. bake a pan of brownies

2. cut the brownies into triangles

3. use chocolate frosting to adhere the pretzel antlers and the red m & m nose on

4. then use white frosting to adhere the brown m & m eyes on

Oven Dress and Grocery Bag Holder

how adorable is this idea! the top part is the "blouse" and the bottom part is a dishtowel and it hangs over your oven door handle. i saw the idea at a craft fair and just kinda winged it with the design. if anyones interested in a tutorial, let me know and i'll see if i can put one together.
but how cute would the oven dress be with the matching grocery bag holder that i found over at the make it and love it blog. her tutorial is found here...

Car Cozie

introducing the car cozie. it's a perfect solution for storing your little mans cars on the go. it has 6 pockets on one side, and a road on the other side.

when it's not in use, you fold it up, roll it up, and tie it up. thanks sharla w/ my little gems for the idea and especially for sharing how to make it here.

Snuggie, Snuglet, Slanket, whatever you want to call it!

who hasn't seen the infomercial for the snuggie? if you're not familiar with the concept, it's basically a blanket with sleeves. i was totally sold on getting one! but i wasn't a fan of the basic blue thin fleece it came it. so i started googling for a free pattern and found the SNUGLET.

my dh "model" didn't want to show his face, lol...
i was even able to find the fleece on sale at joanns for only $5/yd! so i paid $15 and spent 1 hr making it and it's TOTALLY worth it! i also added a pocket at the bottom for your feet. my hubby says he wants one with a pocket for the remote, lol. again here's the pattern.

Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine

A Christmas Traditon here in the UK is Minced Pies and Mulled Wine. Traditionally Mulled Wine is Alcoholic which is why I dont drink it. See I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and one thing we dont do is drink Alcohol amongst other things. My husbands cousin though has made us a recipe of Mulled Wine which is non-alcoholic. OMWord. It is gorgeous! I asked for the recipe straight away and now cant wait to make it myself. In the meantime I thought I would share the recipe with all of you! It is so Yummy! Let me know what you think.

Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine:

Bottle of 'non alcholic' wine, red or white ( white will need less sugar added ) pour into large pan

Add twice the quantity of cold water ( ie if 2 bottles of wine, 4 equivilent of water )

3 or 4 cinnammon stick

6 or 7 cloves

2 large oranges, with the peel left on, sliced into rings and added.

Simmer for 2 or 3 hours...

Add granulated sugar 'to taste' half way thru!

Serve warm..FROM THE PAN, INTO CUPS/GLASSES. Sieve out the cloves etc.

This can be prepared before guests arrive then reheated in microwave, but you lose the' smell which is gorgeous when people come into house. May have to 'adjust' to get the timing right, ie less as it's non alcoholic, so none to 'burn off'. Keep tasting. Adding less or more sugar. Ensure sugar is FULLY dissolved. Enjoy.


CINNAMMON POWDER DOESN'T WORK!

I cant wait to make this. I am so having friends around for Minced pies and Mulled Wine!! Mmmmmm!

Wooden Baby Block Picture Ornament

i don't remember where i saw this idea, so i can't link to it. but if anyone knows, please share so i can give credit where credits due! this idea is great, easy, fast and inexpensive. you probably have the supplies sitting around your house right now! i did, and i probably have enough to make HUNDREDS of these! they're wooden baby block picture ornaments.

supplies:

mod podge

scrapbook paper

wooden baby block (i got the whole alphabet in 1 box at the dollar tree)

hammer and nail (optional, depends if you have muscles)

screw eyes (CHEAP)

wallet size picture of your baby :)

sandpaper and ribbon (not included in picture, sorry)

step 1: depending on how many sides you want to cover, you need to cut that many pieces of scrapbook paper. so trace your block onto the paper, and cut it out. also cut your childs picture to the size you want it.

like so...

step 2: using the mod podge, apply a thin layer to whatever sides you're cover and place your scrapbook paper on it. it doesn't matter if your measurements aren't exact. you'll be getting rid of the excess during the next step.

mod podge your picture on too

step 3: using sandpaper, gently sand all the corners. this will even up any larger squares of scrapbook paper

step 4: apply another layer of modge podge to all sides of the block to seal everything on

step 5: once modge podge has dried (few minutes), use a nail to make the hole where you want to put your screw eye.

step 6: pull out the nail and replace with the screw eye

step 7: string ribbon through the eye and tada... you're all done! ready to adorn the tree!

*OPTIONAL* i believe the blog i saw this on also used diamond glaze on the side of the block with the picture. it gave that side of the block a clear glass type finish. i have NEVER found diamond glaze at any craft store! they advertise the product on there websites, but everytime i go to purchase it, its never there! and i check EVERYTIME i go. but anyways, that's an option.

Thanksgiving Wreath

So I have been looking for cute Thanksgiving Decorations to make for the house. Living in the UK you cant find anything so everything that I have has to be made. I thought this was adorable and so simple to make. This craft is so easy to make that a child could make it and it looks really cute too.

All you need is:

• Wooden Craft Ring


• Pumpkin and Leaf Foam cut outs. You can either do them yourself or a lot of craft stores will sell them already cut out.


• Glue Gun and Glue sticks

The instructions couldnt be more simple:

Glue the leaves and pumpkins to the Wooden Craft ring in any desired fashion. Thats it... Finished! So simple! This could easily be made in time to hang on the door for Thanksgiving

Fabulous giveaway

For all of you in Canada/US there is a great giveaway that the cooks/bakers who read this will love. This super talented gal made an apron that she is giving away so check out her blog and entre....I am going to try to get the instructions for it too to post on here!
http://suissescenarios.blogspot.com/

Paper Pumpkin Lantern

I found this idea on Nuture Mama, and thought it would be a great craft to do with the kids during half term this week! It's really easy, and really effective, so heres how....

1. I used orange construction paper and then used a paper cutter to make a pile of orange strips that were 1" wide by 12" tall. I then took 10 strips of paper, a push pin and two paper fasteners. I then stacked the strips and used the push pin to help make a hole in each end through all the layers.2. The pin is removed and replaced by the paper fastener. It's best to push it through just a couple of layers at a time.3. The paper fastener legs are opened and the strips are adjusted around each pin until they are equally spaced apart and a globe shape takes place.4. Black eyes and mouth are cut out and glued on with a glue stick. A string of yarn may be tied to one end.

Page One of the quiet book, This is going to take time,

Sorry all I have been way sick, I was going to do pages 1 and 2 together for you but I am still pretty sick. So here is page one like I promised ( Not complete yet.)

Ok so First I cut the pages out of the yard of felt, now this was more then enough for the one quiet book, for the page size I chose. Now I Have a Kick Butt sewing machine thanks to the ex husband, so I have to show you some of the stitches it has :)







Now I wanted the pages a bit bigger then the normal book so I went with 9 inches by 11.I did cut 2 pages together because I am going to sew the 2 pages together and then cut them with the fancy scissors to give it more flare.




This is the bowl I used for the mirror for the so pretty page, traced it on the back of the mirror and then cut it out,




This is what it looks like, THERE IS A PROTECTIVE FILM ON THIS I LEFT IT ON TILL AFTER I SEWED IT INTO PLACE!








Now I did a wave stitch, around the mirror, I am not a great sewer, but I try and it turned out ok.




Now I forgot the vinyl when I was at the craft store so I am at a stand still on this page, but the napkin is where i am putting the pocket for the comb, I am also making a FAKE eye shadow with a old make up tin and nail polish, for them, I am having my dad drill a hole in the comb since I have not found a comb with a hole, and I know kids will loose it then so I will rick rack it to the page.. I am lazy this week so I am going to buy the felt letters and sew them on for the SO PRETTY!!! and then this page will be done, The next page will be tons easier, with strips of velcro, and the felt letters, for the alphabet page, so get your supplies, and start your book. I have the patterns for the potato doll, the flowers, hearts,fish, water pitcher for the vase, and things as well. I will try to get uploaded for you to print, ANY QUESTIONS I WILL BE HAPPY TO HELP!!!

Halloween Candy Bar Wrappers

Found these creative Halloween candy bar wrappers on Skip To My Lou.

For the mummy... glue a set of googly eyes on the wrapper. Then take white crepe paper and wrap your chocolate bar as many times as you want. I then folded up the edges some to give it that ruffled look.

For the bat... I printed the template out at 60% because I was using smaller chocolate bars. Again, glue a set of googly eyes on. Tape your chocolate bar inside on the middle and use a festive sticker to keep shut.

**TIP** many years ago I learned that you cannot glue googly eyes with a hot glue gun! the black part of the eye melts to the white part and they no longer wiggle. so use tacky glue ;)

Pumpkin Centerpiece

I bought a foam pumpkin. Cut a hole in the top and filled with fall silk flowers from the dollar store. easy. cheap. and won't die in a few days ;)

Lollipop Ghosts

I know that everyone has probably done these at some point in their lives but I thought I would list them here just for anyone who hasnt. A friend and I are having a Halloween party for our children and 32 others. Ok so its a bit more than a party 32 children is LOADS! For the invitations I have made one of these for each child and then attached the invite to them. They turned out cute and will get the children into the Halloween Frame of mind!

These are the only things you need to make a Lollipop Ghost. Oh yeah plus a black marker!

At this point all you need to do it tie the tissue onto the lollipop and draw a cute face on it. See now wasnt that simple!!

Eyeball t-shirt

Thank you ONCE AGAIN martha stewart for a great tutorial on how to make this eyeball tshirt.
it really was as easy as they made it seem!