Celebrations | Old Fashioned Families

Tons of Stocking Stuffer Ideas Under 5$ for Your Kids You Might Not Think of

December 13, 2012 by Mamma Leave a Comment

Tons stocking stuffer ideas Under 5$ for your kids you might not think of

Are you stuck on what to put in your child’s Christmas stocking? There is always candy, but many of us really want to limit the amount of candy our kids indulge in so that still leaves finding a few other inexpensive items to pad out their Christmas stocking this year.

I have discovered one quick easy way to find dozens of ideas for stocking stuffers online at Amazon I will share with you at the end of the blog post. I have also added a number of ideas based on my experience as a parent, there are plenty of great ideas that won’t cost you a fortune and that you can get online or at your local dollar store.

Art and Office Supplies

There are literally hundreds of ideas that will delight your child and stimulate their creativity.

Tape – Kids love tape, and will be delighted to get a couple of rolls in their stocking. It is a great alternative to glue and your child will have hours of fun creating.

Glitter Glue – Elmers has a great line of glitter glues your kids will love, for a couple of dollars you can get them brilliant colored glues that will make every project look great.

Gel Pens – Kids love these both for homework and just for general art work.

Glue sticks – Less messy than glue, kids will play for hours with these and a bit of construction paper, colored glue sticks are also available.

Colored Ducktape – has your child come home yet with a wallet or flower made out of ducktape? Kids are finding new and creative ways to use these colorful and strong tapes. You can also get them in sheets rather than rolls.

Pencils and Pens- Most kids love to have an abundance of brightly colored pens and pencils, they are inexpensive and can be used for a variety of different things.

Scissors, rulers, and templates – There are literally dozens of cheap art supplies you buy for your kids they will love.

Multi colored pipe cleaners- by now you should be getting the idea, fill their art box with tons of neat craft supplies and they will create.

Personal Items

Colored, shaped rubber bands- Also called silly bands kids go crazy over these shaped and brightly colored rubber bands.

Tattoos – Temporary tattoos for as little as a penny make great gifts for your kids.

Chapstick – Kids go through chapstick in the winter like crazy, so buying a few extra for their stocking will keep them stocked up. Lip gloss for girls can be found for less than $2 as well.

Toothbrush – Most kids will forgive you for buying them toothbrushes for Christmas if you buy them something really cool, like their favorite movie or cartoon character.

Flavored toothpaste – This might be the perfect time to buy those cartoon character toothpastes in a multitude of flavors. Teach them great brush habits and give them something they might not get very often.

Miscellaneous

Playing cards – teach your kids the games you learned as a kid, cards make a great item to tuck in a stocking.

Post it Notes – do your kids constantly snitch your post it notes? Why not buy them a stack or two of their own, the bright colors and little bits of paper are appealing to a wide range of ages.

Dry Erase Markers and board – A mini board will not cost much and kids love having something they can draw on and erase. Pick them up an extra stack of colorful markers to go with.

Magnifying Glass – Kids love to explore and anything that lets them do so is always a big hit, you can get mini magnifying glasses for around $2.

Mechanical Pencils – Most kids are fascinated with these!

Note books – Mini notebooks are perfect for carrying around and writing or drawing in while on the road or anywhere.

Erasers – there is no limit to the erasers you will find online, you can even find lego erasers in bright colors that are perfect for the lego fan.

Secret to finding oodles of Stocking Stuffers at Amazon.com

This really is not much of a secret, just a good way of coming up with some creative ideas to get your child for Christmas. It is just as simple as using the Amazon Filter system to find toys and art supplies at low –low prices that are perfect for slipping into Christmas stockings.

Start by navigating to the Amazon website - and too this toys page – Kids Toys

Choose your childs age, whether they are a boy or girl(or leave blank) then scroll down and click on the price filter, alternatively you can fill in the values below the price filter for how much you want to pay, but you do not have to.

Once you come to your page, look to the right of the top of the page, you will see another sorting filter, click on order from lowest to highest and you will find a nice assortment of toys that will be perfect for putting in your childs stocking.

You can do the same with art supplies and office supplies as well -

Office Supplies for Stocking stuffers

Stocking Stuffer Art Supplies

Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas Tagged With: stocking stuffers for under $5, stocking stuffiers, stocking stuiffers for kids

50 Ways to Have a More Old Fashioned Family Christmas

December 12, 2012 by Mamma 2 Comments

Most of us would agree that Christmas has become the opposite of what it is supposed to be, a time of joy, celebration and family turned into a stressful few weeks that at least some of use wish would never come at all.

Most of us just wish we could go back to celebrating Christmas the way it used to be celebrated, and that we could bring back the time when Christmas was all about simple celebrations, family and honoring the real reasons for the season.

It seems easier said than done, and all too easy to get caught up in the commercial trap that Christmas has become. Perhaps this list of ways to have a more old fashioned family Christmas will inspire you to put the joy back into your Christmas celebrations.

Having a more old fashioned family Christmas does take time and effort, it means being willing to spend time making rather than buying and spending time with family rather than providing a gift overload.

Tips for a More Old Fashioned Christmas

Spend Less Money

1) Set a Budget for Christmas – one that you can afford and stick to it.

2) Make Cookies and Goodies Instead of Buying Them – use them for gifts as well

3) Make as Many of Your Gifts as Possible- if you do not know how to sew, perhaps you can make birdhouses or birdfeeders, there are thousands of ideas online for gifts that require no skill and are affordable to make or Try these books from Amazon -

Homemade Christmas Gifts and More – Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas For The Whole Family

A Homemade Christmas: Creative Ideas for an Earth-Friendly, Frugal, Festive Holiday

4) Give Less Gifts-Stop looking at the lists, and the area under the tree and thinking it is not enough. Set a limit on the number of gifts you buy and stick to it. Give the gift of time and love instead.

5) Invite Fewer People – Nobody says your home has to be the party of the year , every year. Nor do you need to host the entire family for Christmas and make everything yourself. It is ok to set limits on guests, spending and the amount of time and stress you are willing to invest.

6) Make Your Own Christmas Cards – Paper, glue, glitter, crayons, pens or paint is all you need to create beautiful handmade cards.

7) Stay Home – Do not plan long trips at the holidays, it makes them more stressful and expensive. You will find your holiday to be less expensive and more relaxing if you just stay home for the holidays.

8) Have a Gift Exchange – Christmas gifts are really for the kids, but we all love getting a gift or two under the tree so hold an exchange among the adults in your family.

9) Make Your Own Decorations – Save money and make your home look old fashioned, by making all of your own decorations. Paper chains, salt dough ornaments, bows, candles, popcorn and cranberries, all of these were used back before Christmas became so commercial to decorate homes. Disney’s Christmas Crafts for Kids:: More Than 75 Festive Ideas for Making Decorations, Wrapping, and Gifts

10) Plan Free Activities – Play games, do puzzles, watch TV, go for a walk or listen to Christmas Music as you decorate or bake, it is a great way to get in the spirit and is free!

Spend More Time

christmas house © by dfbphotos

1) The holidays are a time of celebration, and there is no better way than celebrating with family. Commit yourself to spending time with family during this season and letting it be a blessing to both you and those you spend that time with. Joy to the World: Advent Activities for Your Family

2) Make Cookies with Your Kids- Do it for fun not because it is expected; better yet teach them how to make cookies!

3) Make Christmas Ornaments – These are fun to make, easy, and can be given away as a way to brighten someone else’s Christmas. Even the kids can help make ornaments to give to teachers and their friends.

4) Have Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve and spend the entire Christmas day with your family. Either volunteer or get down on the floor with your kids and play with them, either way they will get the message that relationships are more important than performance.

5) Go Caroling – Take your family Christmas Caroling to a nursing home or homeless shelter

6) Drive around and look at the Christmas lights, play Christmas music and stop for hot cocoa

7) Making Popcorn Garlands- Take the time to enjoy this age old tradition with your kids

8) Play Christmas music and teach the kids how to sing your favorite Christmas songs.

9) Involve everyone in choosing a tree and decorating it, even better go out to the woods and cut your own this year.

10) Have your kids draw pictures, make cards and color pictures to send to family and the troops overseas.

11) Play the Christmas Elf game

12) Make a Gingerbread house

13) Watch your favorite Movies and TV specials with your kids

14) Make simple bird feeders to hang out on Christmas Day

15) Take family pictures around the Christmas tree, feel free to have fun with it, be goofy or include the family pets, have your pictures turned into Christmas cards, or better yet make your own.

christmas cookies © by seelensturm

Decorate Your Home With Vintage Decorations and Bake Old Fashioned Treats

1) Most kids today probably have never had homemade popcorn balls, taffy or candy, take the time to share your old fashioned favorites and family traditions with your kids.

2) Make your own Egg Nog

3) Teach your kids how to make Snow Candy

4) Look for vintage decorations at estate sales or second hand stores

5) Make your own ornaments, from popcorn garlands to sprayed or painted pine cones decorated with glitter, hang unshelled walnuts, or tie simple red ribbons on your tree.

6) Decorate outdoor trees, hang apples and other treats for the wildlife, and string some popcorn outdoors for the birds.

7) Make paper chains, one year my daughter and I cut out strip after strip, decorated them with stamps, paint and glitter then stapled them together to make long paper chains. She has never forgotten that and wants to do it every year.

8) Tie bows on the trees outside as well as around your house; this is an inexpensive activity with a very old fashioned twist.

9) Making your own wrapping paper – use newsprint or butcher paper, paint, stamp or decorate to make your own wrapping paper. Shopping bags are great for re-purposing as well.

10) Have a cookie decorating party; this is something we try to do every year. Get the decorations out, and get the whole family together. Serve eggnog and see which person can make the most creative cookie!

Play More!

1) Take your child sledding if you have snow anywhere close

Giving A Hug © by Christina Welsh (Rin)

2) Learn and play the Elf Game with your child, this game is easily found on the Internet

3) Get the board games out and challenge everyone to a game of Life or Monopoly

4) Have family bowling nights on the video game console

5) Look up a few party games like musical chairs, or pin the bead on Santa, add some prizes and have a few laughs.

6) Have a caroling party – Invite the whole family and plan to stop by the nursing homes as well as through your neighborhood.

7) Teach your kids how to play some of the card games you played as a kid.

8) Go build a snow man together

9) Play a game of charades but make it themed, like biblical stories or Christmas Characters

10) Make Christmas Play dough and use Christmas cookie cutters to make fun ornaments

11) Get Santa hats for everyone- wear them when you get your pictures taken or out on the town when you go shopping!

12) Help your child build with their legos, or color in their coloring book on Christmas Day.

13) Sit in front of the fire and tell stories with your kids

14) Decorate a tree outdoors for the animals

15) Watch Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, A Charlie Brown Christmas and all the other classics with your kids.

Christmas is a time to remember everything we have to be thankful for, not to find more things to regret. If you are looking for a simpler Christmas then start by crossing off everything unimportant of your list and add in a few of the Old Fashioned Suggestions listed above. Here are a few books at Amazon to help with even more ideas!

Have Yourself a Very Vintage Christmas: Crafts, Decorating Tips, and Recipes, 1920s-1960s

Country Home: An Old Fashioned Christmas

Old Fashioned Country Cookies (Gooseberry Patch) (Everyday Cookbook Collection)

Old-Fashioned Country Christmas (Gooseberry Patch)

Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas, Old Fashioned Living Tagged With: bake Christmas cookies, homemade christmas, homemade decorations, Old Fashioned Family Christmas

The Ultimate Don’t Waste Your Thanksgiving Turkey Guide

November 25, 2012 by Mamma 1 Comment

We grew our own turkeys this year, and the one thing you really can’t do when you grow your own, is pick your own size of Thanksgiving Turkey. You can choose between Monstrous and not so monstrous but in the end you are likely going to end up with more turkey than you anticipated. This has been our dilemma this year. We only have 3 of us in our family so we can only eat so much turkey in the few days after the holiday.

Not one to let things go to waste, it is ultimately my goal to make sure most if not all of the turkey we raised for the past 4 months is used.

For me the Math is simple….. 4 days of eating as much turkey as we can possibly eat (which means lots of recipes) , on the 4^th day – that being today, it is time for the rest of the turkey to head to the freezer. That means I must also find something to do with the carcass which invariable has far too much meat on it to just waste.

There are essentially 3 choices left for this seemingly vacant carcass when we get to this point. If I am out of time, the carcass goes into the freezer and gets pulled out later to make stock or soup. I have also been known to make stock out of it, this is really easy and while time consuming, and it can be done in stages to make it easier. More about that later.

There are plenty of soups that can be made from the turkey carcass as well and these can also be frozen to be eaten later. I like doing this, it is easy, and it makes a meal for a night when I do not have a lot of time. There is plenty of turkey stock when doing this, so you make more than one batch of soup if you want.

Meals in the Meantime

There are more than enough meals and ideas out there for using up thanksgiving leftovers so I am going to leave you with only a couple of my simplest and most favorite ideas. I do not have pictures for these today, but they are very easy to make. The first recipes will use up your extra stuffing and gravy and it is one of my favorites.

Turkey Stuffing Bake

Ingredients:

6-8 thick slices of turkey breast (or the equivalent, enough turkey to cover the bottom of the pan)

1 – 2 cups Turkey gravy

Leftover Stuffing

Method:

This recipe could not be simpler, Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, put your turkey in a large baking pan lightly sprayed with cooking oil( can also use a small square pan depending on the number of leftovers you have.)
Pour gravy over the top of the turkey so it is covered.
Layer leftover stuffing on top and then bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until heated all the way through.

Turkey Cheddar Soup

This is always a favorite in our house, and like the recipe above I really do not have a recipe for it, but I have been making it for years and it always turns out good!

Ingredients:

1 half onion chopped

2 stalks of celery chopped

Two potatoes cubed

2 tablespoons oil

¼ flour (substitute half and half cornstarch and rice flour to make this recipe gluten free)

4 cups chicken or turkey broth

2 cups of Milk

2 cups of Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese

2 cups of turkey

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Sauté onion and celery in oil until soft, add a bit more oil to the pan if needed if the pan looks to dry.
Add in just enough flour to coat the vegetables (this may use all of the ¼ flour and may not) , and let cook for a minute longer, then add the turkey broth, stir until the flour is well incorporated into the broth.
Add cubed potatoes bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom of the pan from scorching.
Add cut up turkey and heat until the turkey is hot.
Add milk and seasonings to the soup and cook until steaming, the milk should not come to a boil. Stir it very frequently, even constantly to ensure that the milk does not scorch.
Remove from the burner and let sit for about 2-4 minutes, then add the shredded cheese and stir until smooth. Serve.

Other ideas for Your Turkey

There are plenty of sites out there with left over ideas, here are just a few to get you started. Pinterest is also a great place to go for recipes for leftover turkey.

http://pinterest.com/pagetz/turkey-leftovers/

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Top-10-Recipes/Top-10-Turkey-Leftovers

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-turkey-leftovers-20-recipes/

http://www.lesleycooks.com/turkeyleftovers.htm

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/11/top-ten-recipes-for-turkey-leftovers.html

Finally Turkey Stock …

Ingredients:

Turkey Carcass, Bones etc (these can be cut down to size is you do not have a big stock pot

2 Large onions

3-4 large carrots

Two Potatoes

4 to 5 stalks of Celery

2-3 sprigs of Rosemary

Thyme, sage and Parsley

3-4 cloves fresh garlic

Salt and peppercorns to taste (optional)

NOTE: This is a good time to use up any leftover vegetables you might have from Thanksgiving as well. Simply toss them in the pot and they will add even more flavor to your turkey broth.

Method:

Add all of the ingredients into your stockpot ( only adding as much salt and pepper as you want to your stock), and cook until the connective tissues on the carcass have broken down and the carcass falls apart easily. This is important because it means that all of the tasty marrow and connective tissues will have added their flavor to your turkey stock.
Strain the turkey broth through cheese cloth or a fine mesh sieve, gently pressing out any remaining juices. Let stock sit to cool and then strain one more time.
Turkey stock can be frozen or canned and will last in the fridge up to 7 days. I put my leftover meat in the freezer and then use the stock and meat to make more meals such as my cheddar turkey soup when I am ready to.

Filed Under: Celebrations, Holiday Recipes, Recipes, Thanksgiving Tagged With: thanksgiving leftovers, turkey leftovers, turkey leftovers pinterest

5 Alternatives to Your Halloween Festivities

October 4, 2012 by Mamma Leave a Comment

Halloween gets mixed reviews; some love everything about Halloween from the trick or treating, to dressing up, to decorating the house and yard with the scariest decorations possible. Others are concerned about Halloween from a religious perspective while still others worry about all the candy their kids may be getting as well as that which they are handing out to kids.

For our family there are a lot of things we love about this time of year as well as a lot of things we are concerned about when deciding whether to celebrate Halloween. Although we are Christians in our home, the idea of celebrating Halloween does not really bother us as long as it is done in the right way. I see it more as a harvest celebration more than anything, and I always tell my kids no one has to celebrate any holiday in any way except the way they want to.

Christmas is a perfect example of this, there are several religions and races that have their own way to celebrate this holiday, and in truth many of those celebrations have been around just as long and in some cases longer than our reason for celebrating. We all need to find our own reason and way of celebrating regardless of the holiday because celebrating is really the important thing.

Why is celebrating Holidays so important?

While we all have our own reasons for celebrating a particular holiday, some of which are a reason unto themselves, sometimes it is nice to look at the act of celebrations and tradition in and of themselves, and Halloween is a perfect time to do so. Many people are scared of this holiday simply because of its roots, but what better way to put a new look on an old tradition than to put your own special meaning to it.

Celebrations and traditions are important, they are what bind us as a family, community and culture, they remind us of who we are, where we come from and what we believe in. Our pastor from years ago said it best; when he said that the key was to create a Christian Halloween that focused on the traditions and celebrations that meant something to us. It too reminds us of who we are, and perhaps because of the roots of the holiday it can do an even better job of reminding us of these crucial components of our world.

Our Family Oriented Alternatives to Celebrating Halloween

Rather than teaching our kids to not understand a particular holiday we prefer to take the power out of the holiday itself and give it new meaning and that is so for any holiday that is not within our belief set not just Halloween. It even extends to the Christmas traditions in our culture that have lost track of the real reasons for celebrating on Christmas Day.

Have a Harvest Party

You can use this day as a way to teach your children more about the seasons, how they change and what they are for. You can even help them to understand where their food comes from, since the end of October is traditionally a time when harvest festivals occur.

Create a small family oriented party where dinner is made from strictly locally grown foods, or perhaps even have a party where foods are the same foods Native Americans ate before we came to this land.

If you want to encourage your friends to be with other kids their own age, a harvest party can be a lot of fun. Bobbing for apples, carving pumpkins with friendly faces, or making caramel apples all focus on enjoying the harvest more than anything to do with scary monsters.

Sponsor a Christian Harvest Carnival

Not every Halloween party or carnival need be scary, talk to your church about having a carnival where kids can play games to win treats and where costumes are fine as long as they are fun or cute but not scary. Have skits instead of haunted houses, singing instead of scary stories, and have a costume contest for the best bible themed costume.

Have a Family Night

One of our favorite alternatives is to have a family night at home; we make healthier treats, a special dinner and watch a movie. While we are not real keen on letting our daughter participate in trick or treat for a variety of reason, we also know that she feels left out if we do not do anything at all. We don’t want her having all of that candy so we stay home and make it a fun night. We watch movies, play video games and have special treats for that night only instead of bags and bags of candy we know our daughter does not need.

Give out Alternatives to Candy

If your biggest concern is not to offer candy to the kids in the neighborhood, there are plenty of alternatives. Stay away from homemade unless you know the kids that come to your door well, perhaps offer both homemade and prepackaged, since most parents will not let their kids eat something that comes from a home they do not know if it is homemade.

Instead of candy you can pass out pencils, erasers, art supplies, tattoos and a number of other items that are not edible. You can also get coupons for local restaurants and other businesses as an alternative to candy.

Choosing Better Costume Ideas

It seems these days that costumes are getting worse and worse, in my day trick or treat might have had a few ghosts or the occasional good witch, but now they are becoming gruesome, and for small kids downright scary. Rather than scaring all those small children, encourage your kids to dress up as someone they want to emulate. Does your son want to be an astronaut, football player or fireman? These are much better choices than costumes that will turn stomachs, scare small children and make other parents think twice about sending their kids out next year.

Keep Halloween Affordable

One of the biggest problems that many parents have with Halloween is the cost. To go buy a costume can set you back considerable, especially if you do more than just a cheap plastic costume at your local Walmart. These costumes are fun but expensive.

Instead you can make your own costumes easily by coming up with a theme and then visiting your local thrift store. Cowboys, Indians, princesses can easily find their attire with a bit of creativity and effort while not spending a whole lot of money.

You can also make simple costumes at home with just a bit of research and creativity.

The other problem that many families face is the sheer volume of trick or treaters that come to the door, and the cost of all of that candy. instead of candy looking for more affordable alternatives:

Tattoos are inexpensive and they do not add to the overload of sugar most kids get at Halloween.
Find Less expensive, smaller treats and stick to a strict limit of one per child. They will get plenty of candy so no need to feel guilty.
Visit your local Dollar store and pick up inexpensive party favors for Halloween, they usually come several in a package for a dollar.
Stickers are also a very inexpensive treat and little ones love them, because they are different from all of the candy they usually get it will be especially nice for them.

Halloween is For Fun and Family

More than anything I have always taught my kids that Halloween is supposed to be light hearted fun, a time for family to get together and nothing more. I don’t teach them to be afraid of the holiday and I remind them that everyone has a different way of looking at celebrations. They have picked up that message and have spent most of their Halloweens celebrating accordingly. Whether we take in a movie, have a pilgrims harvest feast or make popcorn and drink apple cider we do it together as a family and this is what we remember and look forward to every year. I honestly believe my kids enjoy this type of celebration far more than any other, because this is what celebrations are meant for.

Filed Under: Celebrations Tagged With: cheap halloween costumes, christian halloween, halloween Alternatives, Halloween costumes

Happy Easter And Here are Few Recipes For You

April 6, 2012 by Mamma Leave a Comment

I wanted to take a moment to wish all of my readers a happy Easter!! I have also added a few recipes to the database for Easter and will try to add a few more tomorrow if I can I will add them to this post if I do, so you can find all of the Easter recipes in one place.

The first recipe is near and dear to my heart, because it is different the typical Candied Sweet Potatoes Recipe you would normally have at the holidays, and it is one I have been eating all of my life and cooking for the past 30 years.

My Moms Candied Yams

No Old Fashioned Easter is complete without Hot Cross Buns or Colored Eggs and since we are all about doing things naturally here, I have added some gentler and less expensive ways to color your eggs, I hope you enjoy and have a blessed Easter!

Hot Cross Buns

Natural and Frugal Egg Coloring Ideas

Filed Under: Easter, Old Fashioned Living

Natural and Different Egg Coloring Ideas

April 6, 2012 by Mamma Leave a Comment

Forget to get an egg coloring kit this year? here are a few ideas that you can use to make your own colored eggsfrom things you have at home.

This year instead of using a coloring kit from the grocery store, why not use some natural dyes. Here are some ideas. Usually, the more of the natural ingredient you use and the longer the egg soaks (maybe even overnight) the darker the color will be.

Natural Egg Food Coloring

REMEMBER: Not all of these eggs will be safe to eat. Do not eat eggs that sit in hot water for many hours or overnight. Save those for decorations.

Red

Save the skins from red onions and boil with the eggs
for 1/2 to 1 hour. Remember the more skins you use and the
longer you soak the darker the color will be. A smaller amount
of skins will produce a nice lavender.

Pink

Soak your hardboiled eggs in cranberry juice or the juice
from pickled beets.

Violet Blue

Soak your hardboiled eggs overnight in hot water to which
you have added violet blossoms.

Lavender

Soak your hardboiled eggs in grape juice, or, add 2 teaspoons
of lemon juice to the Violet Blue water to lighten the color.

Yellow

To a cup of hot water, add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of tumeric
and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar.

Golden Tan

Save the skins from yellow onions. Add them to the water when
you hardboil your eggs.

Brown

To a cup of hot water, add 1 Tablespoon of instant coffee, and
1/2 teaspoon vinegar.

Green

Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to a bowl of the water from
Violet Blue before soaking your eggs. You can also soak your eggs
in liquid chlorophyll. (Buy it at the pet store or drug store.)

Pretty Pastels

You can rub blueberries and cranberries right on the shells for
soft blues and pink. Blend them for another pretty result.

You can also use Household items to Make these beautiful Colored Eggs

Oil and Food Coloring Marbled Eggs

Ingredients

Eggs (hard boiled)
Food coloring
Vinegar
Cooking oil
Containers for the dye mixture (mugs will work)
Paper towels
A few spoons

Instructions

In each container combine one tablespoon of each of the following: oil, vinegar, and your choice of food coloring.
Add enough water to make the liquid deep enough to cover an egg.
Swirl the liquid with a spoon, and quickly lower and raise an egg into it.
Pat dry with a paper towel, and repeat with a second color.
Swirl into a third color, if desired. Some white areas can be left on the egg.
Gently pat dry the completed egg, leaving a bit of the oil to give the egg a varnished look.

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Filed Under: Easter, Holiday Recipes Tagged With: easter egg coloring, easter eggs, Egg coloring

My Moms Old Fashioned Candied Sweet Potatoes

April 6, 2012 by Mamma 1 Comment

I remember growing up that these candied Sweet potatoes were a part offer holiday meal growing up. We only got them on those days never any other time, so I really looked forward to them. I have made them for my family for 3o years now.

These sweet potatoes are different from what you expect from sweet potatoes and they are always a big hit.

My Moms Candied Sweet Potatoes

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

Author: Mamma

Recipe type: Side Dish

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

6 medium Sized Sweet Potatoes
⅓ cup Butter (can substitute margarine)
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Get Sweet potatoes cleaned and ready to go and put in a pot of salted boiling water, cook 30 to 35 minutes until fork tender. Let your sweet potatoes cool a bit, then peel and cut into quarters.
Melt the butter in a skillet (I find a well-seasoned cast iron skillet works very well for this if you have it), add brown sugar and salt and cook until it comes to a boil. Add your sweet potatoes in and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are well caramelized. Turn potatoes often, and spoon the candied sauce over them frequently. For an added to special touch you can put regular size marshmallows on these and put them under a broiler until toasted.
(notes: I normally use a ½ cup of butter and brown sugar for this recipe as I don’t find that the ⅓ cup is enough.)

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Filed Under: Holiday Recipes, Thanksgiving Tagged With: Candied Sweet Potatoes, holiday recipes

4 Fun And Easy To Make Homemade Christmas Decorations

December 17, 2010 by Mamma Leave a Comment

Homemade Christmas decorations are some of the most unique. They are also a lot of fun because you can enjoy them with your family. Below are 4 fun and easy to make homemade Christmas decorations:

Popcorn Stringing

If you like strung popcorn, it’s really simple to make. Start with a big bowl of popcorn (unbuttered, of course) and string it piece by piece using a standard sewing needle and thread. Make sure there’s plenty of popcorn because, if you’re stringing it for garland, you’re going to need a lot.

Cranberry Stringing

Much like the popcorn stringing method, many people used to string cranberries using a standard needle and thread. Again, make sure there’s plenty to go around if you’re going to use it as garland. Most importantly, and I know it’s tempting, don’t eat all the decorations. Save some for the Christmas tree.

Paper Chains

One of the greatest memories of decorating for Christmas, as a child, has to be the traditional paper chains. Using green and red construction paper, cut horizontal strips of each color. Fold them into a circle and seal with tape. Scotch tape is recommended and, if you use this when your child is young, the smell will always remind them of Christmas. It will likely become “Christmas tape” to them. Once you have a complete circle, take another strip in an alternating color and run it through the first circle. Next, fold it around and seal with tape. Complete this step until you have a big strand of paper garland in red and green. You and your child will enjoy doing this together and it will create wonderful memories for you both.

Lighted Wreath

If you love the look of a lighted wreath, but don’t quite have a budget for one of the more expensive ones, consider another option. You can purchase a plain green wreath very inexpensively. A small strand of lights can cost anywhere from $1.00 to $3.00. But, put them together and you have the look of a professionally lighted Christmas wreath. For this project, you could use either clear or multi-colored Christmas lights. Simply take the plain green wreath and wrap the lights around in a design similar to the stripes on a candy cane. Once you’ve gone all the way around, tuck the last light into the green of the wreath. Make sure that you place it near an electric outlet because there won’t be a lot of extra cord. Now that you’re ready, plug it in and see your very own design. A red bow is a nice touch, but not necessary. As people drive by, they will see a beautifully lit wreath in your window and they will have no idea that you saved a few bucks by wrapping the lights yourself.

Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas Tagged With: Christmas crafts, Christmas stocking

Caring For and Planting a Balled in Burlap Christmas Tree

December 16, 2010 by Mamma Leave a Comment

Tis the season when lots of people drag a real tree into their house and decorate it. Some people buy live trees that are balled in burlap instead of a cut tree. A live tree is a great idea, but many people make serious mistakes when it comes to handling a live tree, and they end up losing their money. The information in this article also pertains to any live tree you are planting, be it now during the winter, or during the summer.

1. Before you even take the tree in the house, dig a hole for the tree where you expect to plant it after the holidays. Put the soil in a wheelbarrow and park it in the garage. You’ll need loose soil to backfill the hole, and the ground might be frozen after the holidays.

2. Keep your live tree in the house for as short a time as is possible.

3. Keep the ball plenty moist while in the house, but not in a tub full of water. You don’t want the ball to dry out completely, but by the same token it shouldn’t be soggy all the time either. Just moist. You can wet it thoroughly, but then don’t water again until the water is almost gone.

4. After Christmas move the tree outdoors as soon as possible and plant it immediately. If you were not able to dig the hole earlier, the ground is frozen, and the tree cannot be planted, leave it outside and pack bags of leaves or bales of straw around the ball. Find a way to heel it in in such a way that the amount of sun and wind the root ball receives is minimal.

5. Try and plant the tree immediately if you can. You do not want to store the tree on top of the ground during the winter if you can avoid it. Putting it in your garage is not a good idea either, it is likely to dry out in there. The absolute best place for the ball is in the ground, even if the ground has frozen after you dug the hole. Just set the tree in the hole and backfill with loose soil. Make sure there are no air pockets around the ball. Backfill only with small particles of soil. If this cannot be done because the soil is frozen, just set the tree in the hole and backfill as soon as the weather permits.

6. Check the ball for nylon string. Cut and remove any nylon string. Sometimes the diggers wrap the string around the stem of the tree. If the string is a cotton type, like sisal twine, you can leave it on the ball but remove it from the stem. If the burlap is nylon it should be cut in many places or removed. If the ball is wrapped with a wire basket I recommend leaving it on. It will help to secure the tree and keep it from rocking back and forth with the wind. The roots will find their way through the wire and the burlap. Just cut the burlap where you can.

7. Do not plant the tree too deep. This is the number one reason for plants that do not survive. They should not be planted any deeper than they were in the nursery. The top of the ball should be one to two inches above the ground level. If you have heavy, wet, clay soil, you should plant it even higher and build a bed up around the ball. When you plant them too deep the plants literally suffocate.

8. Do not fertilize the tree at the time of planting. You can fertilize it in the spring, but only with an organic fertilizer. If you have compost available, mix some in while planting. Fertilizer can do more harm than it can good. I always recommend organic fertilizers. It’s hard to make a mistake with organics. It’s always a good idea to stake trees when you plant them. If the wind is constantly rocking them back and forth they will have a difficult time establishing new roots in their new home.

Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas Tagged With: burlap rootball, live Christmas tree, planting live Christmas tree

Thanksgiving Decorations – Staying true to your Homesteading Roots with These HomeMade Decoration Ideas

November 15, 2010 by Mamma 1 Comment

Keeping in mind what thanksgiving is about, expensive and elaborate decorations seem all wrong, Thanksgiving is about a lot of different things but no less is it about remembering our roots and the ancestors that braved adversity to found our country.

To me decorating for thanksgiving should be about getting back to those roots and creating a rustic and homey atmosphere that personifies all the things that we celebrate this holiday for. I have included a few ideas of how you can start your own Thanksgiving decorations, where to look for inspiration and finally several links to get your creative juices going. Happy Thanksgiving and have fun crafting.

The first place you should start is by taking a walk around your homestead both inside and outside, look for inspiration in the little things, the leaves on the ground, the branches of the trees, wood in the wood pile and bales of straw. Search for corn stalks, pine cones, acorns and any other bits and pieces of nature that you think might make great decorations.

Take a child with you if you can, sometimes their imaginations are much more vivid and free than our own and they can often see a masterpiece where we see only a pile of junk.

Simple Ideas for Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Decorations

Create places mats from fall colored fabric scraps by piecing them together and making quilted place mats. This is an easy project that can be finished in an afternoon and will create beautiful place mats you can use year after year.

Fill a cornucopia with leaves, fall flowers, gourds, mini pumpkins and more. Hint: I have included a link on how to make a homemade cornucopia below.

Use leaves, ribbons, and crepe paper to make streamers that you can hang from the ceiling. Better yet give this project to your child and watch their imagine take hold and go wild.

Finally check out all the links below for great ideas to make wonderful homemade thanksgiving decorations.

Scavenging Things Around your Yard and Home

This site has a number of different ideas that you can use to make decorations from things you find in nature or dig up around your house. Acorn napkin rings will bring a rustic feel to your table, while the Thanksgiving table centerpiece will bring a sense of simple warmth to any table. http://www.howtodothings.com/family-and-relationships/a3897-how-to-make-thanksgiving-decorations.html

Make your own cornucopia with this simple recipe then fill it full of things you find around your homestead or things you grew yourself. Easy to make and fun for anyone from child to adult. http://blog.jugglingfrogs.com/2007/11/bread-cornucopia.html

A bit of simple elegance is never out of place at the Thanksgiving table, this site offers a few different down to home ideas but my favorite is pressing leaves and using them as a place card for guests by using a paint pen to write their names on the leaves.
http://www.brighthub.com/money/personal-finance/articles/51145.aspx

This link has a lovely idea for making a Thanksgiving centerpiece, the great thing about this idea is that you can use it as a base and create your own centerpiece by adding your own things from around the home and homestead. Have fun with this one! http://www.essortment.com/home/homedecorideas_sjcc.htm

This Video shows out to create colorful Turkeys from pine cones.

Making things using Scraps around your Home

The best Thanksgiving decorations are those that are made from using items around your home that are not being used for anything else. So get ready to sift through the junk drawers and boxes to find bits and pieces for making your best decorations ever.

Use old table linens to make new Thanksgiving table clothes for your festivities. Use items around the house to make a beautiful table cloth in no time.
http://www.favecrafts.com/Thanksgiving/Top-10-Thanksgiving-Decorations-to-Make-Part-2

This Pilgrim Hat Flower Centerpiece is a great example of what you can do with the old odds and ends around your homestead, take a flower pot you are not using, add some scrap material and cardboard box add a few odds and ends and you have a lovely centerpiece you can be proud of.

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/389870_how-to-make-homemade-thanksgiving-decorations

This website will get your Creative juices flowing and help you find uses for old household items in your quest for decorating for Thanksgiving. From what to do with old kitchen items and clothing to where to find inspiration this site offers a new look at what Thanksgiving decorations should embody.
http://www.thanksgivingfun.net/thanksgiving_decorations_using_household_items-41975.php

Making things using your homesteading skills

If you live an old fashioned life chances are good that you have a few skills, whether you sew, quilt, crochet, or knit there are plenty of fun things that you can do to add warm and wonderful Thanksgiving decorations to your festivities.

This adorable turkey Wreath is one of my personal favorites and starts with a crocheted turkey, you can it as it is or you can use branches to make your own wreath to make it even more rustic and homemade.
http://www.favecrafts.com/Thanksgiving/Thanksgiving-Turkey-Wreath-Crochet-Pattern

This directory of crochet patterns has a wonderful and fun selection of thanksgiving crochet patterns. You could use some of the little acorn accents and pumpkins in your cornucopia, or you can make your own cornucopia with fruits and vegetables.
http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/directory/thanksgiving.php

This incredible wreath is a great way to show off your knitting skills as well as have a colorful lovely decoration for your thanksgiving décor.
http://blog.knitting-warehouse.com/2010/11/thanksgiving-wreath-free-pattern.html

This lovely page helps you create lovely center pieces out of the bounty of your garden or flower beds. Use it to create stunning pieces or as a guide to create your own masterpiece.
http://www.floralcraftresource.com/thanksgiving-decorations.html

Letting the Kids Help

Kids love to be a part of the holidays and Thanksgiving is no exception so no list of Thanksgiving decorations to make would be complete without a few things for the little ones to do. This selection allows your child to proudly display his masterpieces for everyone to see on thanksgiving day and lets them be an integral part of decorating for the big day.

These unique little felt Turkey Napkin Rings are great for using on the table thanksgiving day. Colorful and fun your guests will love their feathered friends. Cut these out yourself and then let your child glue them together with supervision of course.
http://www.favecrafts.com/Thanksgiving/Easy-Turkey-Napkin-Rings-from-the-New-Image-Group

Luminaries are always a fun project but the great thing about thise thanksgiving luminaries is that they are made with LED tea lights so you do not need to worry about burning the house down with this little turkeys.
http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-decorations/turkey-luminarias-783823/

Why not let your child create your thanksgiving center piece with the fun, adorable and no fail tissue paper turkey. This little guy will love to hang out with you for your turkey dinner and is simple enough that anyone can make it in one quick sitting.
http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-craft-decorations/thanksgiving-table-decorations/tissue-paper-turkey-673489/

With so many different ways to celebrate your Thanksgiving without having to spend a dime and getting the warm homey feel that Thanksgiving is supposed to have you and your family can spend a day over the weekend making wonderful handmade decorations for your table. Don’t let the expense, glitz, and commercialism of the holidays get you down, have fun with this fun ideas from all over the web or come up with a few of your own.

Filed Under: Celebrations, Crafting, Thanksgiving Tagged With: cornucopia, thanksgiving, thanksgving decorations