Before the now traditional Mardi Gras beads, yelling out “Throw me something, Mister!” might help you end up with a doubloon in your hand! Today we’re making our own Mardi Gras Doubloons to create and exchange with friends!

Supplies

• Colors or markers
• Glue
• Glitter
• Frozen juice lids
• Washi tape or other embellishments

Directions

• Color and cut out the doubloons.
• Glue onto the juice lids.
• Dress up and personalize your doubloons with glitter and other embellishments.
• Hand out and exchange between friends.

P.S. If you’re looking for a great video to give your kids a basic understanding of Mardi Gras check out this one from National Geographic Kids. –Erin

P.P.S. I know the image for the printable looks funny but don’t worry the actual document shouldn’t have the big black boxes on it.

I know you’ve heard it a million times but truly I’m not an obscure holiday celebrating kind of gal. Outside the big three (Easter, Halloween, Christmas) it takes concerted effort on my part to remember these days let alone come up with something for the kids to do! Crafts like these were always a highlight during my school days and I don’t want my kids to miss out just because we homeschool so…I’m working on it. Here’s the first craft I’ve come up with and it’s a printable.



Supplies

• ·Crayons
• Glue
• Scissors
• Toilet paper roll
• Groundhog Printable

Directions

• Color groundhog and cut it out.
• Color the grass and cut it out.
• Cut along dotted line (I know it’s hard to see) to create grass.
• Cut a paper roll in half.
• Glue the grass along the outside of the paper roll.
• Glue the groundhog on the INSIDE of the paper roll.

Earlier this week I shared a craft that was perfect to hang outside but not as perfect as these Ice Birdfeeders. Who knew making ice cubes would entertain my children as much as it did? –Erin

All you have to do is gather your supplies:

• water
• birdseed
• shaped, silicone ice cube trays
• plastic, ring dish

Fill the trays and dish with birdseed.


Fill the trays the rest of the way with water. Add a little bit of twine to create an ornament.


Let them freeze overnight. The next day take them outside and decorate the trees with your seed ornaments.


You could hang the big ring on a fence post or garage door with a strong ribbon, or you can do what the kids decided to do…just put it on the birdbath. It’s outside our dining room window and the kids (or maybe just me) like watching the birds in the morning.



Sharing on Romantic Home and Sun Scholars.

There’s nothing as fun as stalking the craft section of your local Wal-Mart and seeing one of your own creations on the cover of a magazine. Okay, so maybe it’s not the THE cover image, but it’s on there and that’s enough to get me jazzed! Does anyone use that word anymore?

Kids Crafts 1-2-3 is a magazine filled with crafty projects, for kids five and up. It is exclusively sold in Wal-Mart and most of the crafts use supplies you can find in the store, which is a blessing for this rural momma. In Issue #3, on stands right now, I’m sharing my Oatmeal Headband Holder. It was so cute, ‘cause you know I grabbed a copy and had it sitting in the van when I picked the kids up from their gym class. Essie took one look at it and said, “Hey that’s mine!”

Go out a pick up a copy for yourself – if you’re a crafting mom or grandma they’re always looking for submissions, maybe next time I’ll see YOUR project on the cover! - Erin

This time of year snowflakes mean snow days, something even us homeschoolers can appreciate. To celebrate the sparkle of the season and the wonder of nature I wanted to make a craft I could hang in the house OR throughout the yard. - Erin

Epsom Salt Snowflakes

Supplies

• 3 Sticks from the yard
• Craft Glue
• Epsom Salt
• White yarn

Directions

Start off by covering both ends of the twigs with glue.

Then dip them in the Epsom salt.

Let them dry overnight.

Lay out your snowflake (yes, I know it looks like a star, work with me) and cut a length of yarn.

Criss cross two of the sticks and tie them together using an X pattern so that they stay perpendicular. Once they’re pretty secure add your third branch.

Now all you have to do is grab a thumbtack and hang your snowflakes! OR if like me, you’ve spent the last couple weeks inside sick with the flu and colds, take your snowflakes outside and decorate your yard!

Sharing on Snap and Romantic Home!

Look below for more Snowflake Craftiness? 

I finally figured out why I love scones, they don’t have much sugar so I feel like I can eat them without too much guilt.  – Erin

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Scones (with a Peanut Butter Glaze)

Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 pkg of Reese’s peanut butter chips (set aside 1/3 cup for glaze)
• 2 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all dry ingredients, cut in butter, and SLOWLY incorporate milk into the mixture. It should resemble big crumbs. Throw in the peanut butter chips, be sure to set 1/3 cut aside if you want to make the glaze. Knead the mixture until it all comes together. Shape into a square or circle. Cut into pieces and bake on a greased cookie sheet for 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on a rack.

In a saucepan mix 1/3 cup of the peanut butter chips and 2 Tbsp. of milk over medium heat until the chips melt. You could also melt it in a microwave. Drizzle the glaze over the scones and enjoy!



Sharing on The Romantic Home

This past week I’ve been working on crafts for our Girl Scout cookie rally, summer crafts for magazines, and blog post ideas for the coming year. I’m so overwhelmed right now I don’t know what to say, and in those instances the best thing to do is to not say anything at all. So instead here’s a picture of a holiday project I never got around to sharing here. It’s a scrap wood Christmas tree inspired by an Anthropologie display Nate and I spied a couple of years ago.Have I mentioned how awesome he is? -Erin

Growing up one of the foods I looked forward to every Christmas was my Grandmother’s Chocolate Crackle Cookies. I was fascinated by the fact that no two cookies ever looked alike, some had few big bulbous cracks while others were riddled with them. They were little works of powdered sugar and cocoa art in my eyes.

I’m sure this is why I never attempted making them until a few years ago, thanks to Martha. I had picked up her cookie magazine ( it came out before the cookie cookbook) and sure enough there they were. I’ve made a few modifications so mine aren’t like Martha’s but they are like Dorothy’s and that’s what I was aiming for. –Erin

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Here is a link the main recipe on Martha’s site.

Modifications

• Completely omit the 8 oz. of bittersweet chocolate.
• Add 1/2 cup of flour.
• Freeze dough for at least a few hours, preferably overnight.
• Only remove one portion of dough from the freezer at a time and work VERY quickly to roll into balls.

Enjoy!

Do you have any foods that remind you of loved ones or special times?

Last Tuesday, after all the presents had been opened and the kids had carried their treasures off to their rooms I logged onto the computer to share my Christmas post. When I was done, I looked to my husband and said, “I’m taking a blogging holiday.”

One week, that’s all I wanted to get things around the house organized and ready for the new year. A day or two to update all our homeschooling records. A moment to remind myself of why I blog and what I want to get out of it. A little time to adjust my plan of action, set measurable goals, write to-do lists, brainstorm, and get excited about the possibilities.

Between naps, coughs, sneezes, headaches, and chills, too tired to speak out loud or put pen to paper, I got the time I wanted to ruminate but had no energy to act. Just like the majority of 2012, the final few days were filled with pain and inaction. When you’re sick - you’re sick, but looking back, my health became an excuse to sit around and think about what I wanted to be doing rather than actually doing it.

I’m a classic New Year’s resolutions kind of girl but as I start this new year with nary a to-do list I have one word on my mind, movement. Active and intentional movement towards what I want in my life. I’m sure there will be setbacks, and more doctor appointments, but I’m making a conscious effort to get up and move even if it’s baby steps with a box of tissue in hand.

What are your resolutions, words, or themes for 2013?