Easy Crown

While preparing for the next big birthday bash, I have been racking my mind for ways to save money and still  give a great party. I have made most of the decor, sewed costumes (parties are just more fun when you get to dress up!) and hot glued until I realized (several times) why it is called "Hot" glue.

I want to devote several posts to pieces of this party that I have done. So ... this is the first! 

I was thinking about how to make a crown for my little man without going to Burger King to ask for one. I don't even know if they still have kid crowns. I also want it to be something 5 year old will willingly wear, so the fit and feel needs to be comfortable. Here is what I came up with using 2 felt sheets (80 cents), a milk jug (free), and sequins (50 cents). The price is right...

I cut up the gallon milk jug into a shape of a crown - it is the perfect size for his head! - and glued the felt around the crown with the seam up.

Cut the felt and glued the loose pieces.

Looks like a crown!

Time to decorate!

Ta Da!

Shared on: Show and Tell, Mop it up, Frugally Sustainable,

Water Kefir Trials

I have been working on several projects recently. Don’t worry, I will be posting all my experiments… I have been creating decorations for a blog-worthy birthday bash, experimenting with sourdough, considering taking on Kombucha, and playing at flavoring some water kefir.

Water Kefir is a fermented drink full of beneficial bacteria. I have never been a fan of yogurt and the thought of popping probiotic pills rubs me wrong, but the process of making my own beverage with the probiotic benefits intrigues me.

So… Here I go!

I spent $12 for 1/4 cup of water Kefir grains, also known as SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts), on Amazon. They remind me of tapioca since they are a bit slimy.

When I got my grains, I added them to a mixture of organic sugar, molasses and water and let them sit for 2 days.

You can see the grains at the bottom eating up all the sugar.

I decided to do a second fermentation to let it become naturally carbonated. Sounds cool right?! I don’t like soda because of the ingredients and how it makes me feel when I am done drinking… so I am excited to see how it comes out! (I am jumping up and down in my seat. Just so you know.)

Batch one: I removed the grains and separated my completed Kefir into 2 containers. One contains blue berries and black berry with cranberry juice. The other has a slice of ginger and 2 tablespoons of Lemon juice.

After I let this batch ferment for the 2^nd time, I had a bit of a dilemma. I was going to be out of town for 3 days. What do you do with your grains? I had read about exploding jars when you let it sit too long and I didn't want to come home to a mess. I also didn't want to kill off my new grains… I did read that if you give the grains sugar water and put it in the fridge it will be okay while you are away. Although this is a little contrary to the idea that the grains need to stay warm and at room temperature, I thought I would try it. Into the refrigerator it went with a ½ cup of sugar in a mason jar.

I was a little disappointed when I came home to discover that ½ of my grains were gone. I decided to compensate for the missing grains by adding extra sugar (1/2 cup instead of 1/3 cup) to the next batch and let it sit about 6 hours longer than I did previously. I think the adjustments paid off since many of my missing grains came back! (these grains multiply, by the way)

Just so you know the type of Molasses I used.
Also used a mixture of Turbinado and dehydrated Cane Juice

While Batch #2 is fermenting on my counter, I was able to try my finished water kefir! Yum. I have to admit that I was a little worried since the informational paper that came with the kefir grains said, “Sometimes after shipping, the grains are reluctant to ferment. You may need to repeat this process up to 3 times before they are fermenting heartily.” Luckily, I didn't have any problems and my water kefir turned out nice and bubbly.

I was pleasantly surprised with the taste. I liked the berry juice version better since the one with the lemon tasted a little more yeasty. The berry version tasted like a mild wine cooler. It was sweet, but not in a lip-pucker way, more in a cheap wine or grape juice sort of way. I liked it. My husband was a little confused with the taste – but he was a real skeptic to begin with. By the 3rd batch, I think it started growing on him.

I flavored Batch 2 in 4 jars (or I meant to…)

1.       Berries and Cranberry juice (like previous batch)

2.       Berries, ginger slice, fresh crushed mint and cranberry juice

3.       Lemon juice, berries, little bit of cranberry juice and Lime juice

4.       Lemon juice, Lime Juice, ginger and mint (going for a mojito flavor…)

I got a plastic strainer to filter out the grains.
Supposedly, medal will react with the grains. Can't have that!

See my grains.

Sadly, I misjudged the amount of Kefir so I ended up with flavors #1-3 and the inch and a half of juice in number four got dumped to fill up #2 and 3. So we will see what I end up with…

I drank up the first batch, while the 2^nd fermented for the 2^nd time. (still with me?) I really like the light headed feeling I get when taking a big swallow. This is probably due to the carbonation or maybe the yeast. I drank a little to aid digestion before eating. I even gave some to my kids when they asked for some “soda” aka sparkling juice, and they really didn't seem to mind. Score for Mom!

See the bubbles on top? And this is after Fermentation 1!

Batch #2 went in the refrigerator after a couple more days and Batch #3 got divided and I tried some different flavors. I made a point to write down what was in each flavoring batch so I can duplicate the ones I like.

Batch #3 flavors to try: (1) Berry juice with apple slices and raisins; and (2) Berry juice with raisins.

I added egg shells to this batch for extra mineral umph.
Interesting shape they are in after fermenting. Discolored and thinner than before

After Batch #2, Look at all the grains I have now!
They really DO multiply when they are happy.

From Batch #2, I really liked the refreshing flavor of the mint and lime combination with fruit juice and berries! Wish I had added lime juice to Batch 3. Oh well, there is always the next one!

Speaking of the next one. My grains doubled! I now have enough to divide into 2 batches. Nice!

I hope this wasn't too confusing. Generally, I was drinking the previous batch while a new one was fermenting... I am looking forward to trying out more flavors to find the right fit for my family's tastes. Here is a great page on flavoring at Delicious Obsessions that helped me.

Have you tried any home fermenting?
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Shared at Saturday Show & Tell at Cheerios & Lattes, Anything Blue at Dedicated Housewife, I Should be Mopping the Floor Mop it Up, Old Fashioned Recipe Exchange, Frugal Days Sustainable Ways , Make it Pretty, Traditional Tuesday,

Reusablly Cute Snack Bags

The idea of making some cute snack bags just sounded good to me. I have been washing some ziplock bags to reuse one more time. Not all of them. Just the ones that had silly things in them like carrots or raisins and crackers. Dry snacks and leftovers that are not meat. My kids know to hand me empty bags and I like to keep one in my purse, which comes in handy!

I have been looking for the time to make these and searching for the right tutorial. I had a way in mind that I wanted to make reusable snack bags… but alas I did not find a tutorial that made sense to me or that made the bags quite the way I wanted. So here is another tutorial to add to the Internet.

While making these I have hopes of saving some bags from landfills. And also saving money on all those bags that inevitably get tossed into the garbage. Did you know that recycling centers will not take ziplocks? What?!

The first one I made was ok, but I figured it out and made the others look Good. After the first couple, the others took about 10 minutes each. Really fast.

To make the bags I used a cotton outside with a washable nylon lining and a 2 inch Velcro strip.

First thing was to measure the ziplock bags in order to sew them to the same size.

Sandwich bags are 7 x 8 inches so I cut pieces to 8 x 10 inches to accommodate a Velcro closure.

Snack bags are 5 x 8 inches so I cut pieces to 8 x 8 inches to accommodate the Velcro closure. Note: all the pictures that I took are of the sandwich bag size the snack bags are half the size.

I first sewed the inside lining. The seam will be on the outside when you sew them together.

Then I sewed the cotton outer fabric inside out so the seam is sandwiched inside (get it?). 

Putting the pieces together I started with the shorter side. It looks a little confusing, but since I wanted both seams hidden, I actually had to (initially) put the pieces together and fold the edges down then hold them together to figure out the position needed to sew. But it isn't difficult and very worth it!

Then the large side, which will be the closure. I sewed the sides first.

I used a pin to keep the pieces together before finishing it off.

Last is velcro. Sew the top and bottom pieces.

Ta Da!

I made a few other fabric options as well. Like super hero and space ones for my son. I am actually thinking of making a bunch more for gifts or even to sell on etsy. I just need more hours in the day!

Overall, I am very pleased with these bags. To wash them I turn them inside out and stick them in a lingerie bag so the Velcro doesn't stick to my clothes or towels. Easy as can be!

Shared at Make it Pretty, Mingle with us, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, More the Merrier Monday, Show & Tell, Traditional Tuesdays, Mop it up, Tuesday Talent Show, Time to Sparkle, Frugally Sustainable, 

BBQ Sauce: Easy & Yummy

It has been a while since I put up a recipe and since I was thinking last night about various things I needed to do, BBQ Sauce came up. I thought it was funny when my cousin yelled, "No Way! I can make BBQ Sauce?!" when I mentioned it. So rather than making the peanut butter that we really need (because it's a pain in the butt and I am a procrastinator at heart), I decided to replenish my empty BBQ sauce.

I have to say that I LOVE BBQ Sauce!

My husband teases me that I need a spout in my kitchen just for dolling out the BBQ sauce. That probably isn't a good thing. Especially when the labels look like this:

Notice that in both bottles of BBQ Sauce, High Fructose Corn Syrup is the first ingredient listed. They each contain similar ingredients. One thing I did not add to my sauce is Liquid Smoke flavor since I personally do not like the taste of smoked anything. It is amazing the varied ingredients that can go into this sauce. Every recipe is different - which is why experimenting is so FUN Necessary.

Luckily, the ingredients of the items I have in my kitchen to make this sauce Do Not contain the High Fructose Corn Syrup, soy or color. (Although I did discover an unopened container of mustard with some of the dreaded ingredients... darn the holidays! Hickory Farms is sneaky. I thought they were gourmet.)

I have only made BBQ sauce a couple times, and I haven't exactly made the same recipe twice because I keep tweaking it to see what the result is. I prefer a tasty spicy, sweet sauce. This time it came out a little on the spicier side. But it is good. My husband says that the homemade stuff smells and tastes like something that you get at a restaurant. That means: Mission Accomplished.

Now about the recipe that I put together. I have been changing it a little each time. It is the combination of a recipe from Rachel Ray, allrecipe.com, and food.com. Which means that it doesn't resemble any recipe, I just looked at the ingredients that other people have used and stuck the ingredients that I wanted to use into one recipe. I don't think that this is the absolutely best recipe it can be, but it doesn't suck.

BBQ Sauce

·         2 Cups organic Ketchup

·         2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

·         2 tablespoons Maple syrup (Can cut syrup and add more honey)

·         ¼ Cup Molasses 

·         ½ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

·         ¼ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
·         ¼ Cup Honey

·         1 shot of Bourbon (I didn't have bourbon on hand this go round. I used 1shot/2T of Cognac instead. Which is just another alcohol that we don't drink.)

·         1 tablespoons Garlic powder

·         Juice of 1/2 large Orange or Lemon (I used an orange)

·         2 tablespoons Chili powder (My homemade version)

·         1 tablespoons Onion powder

·         1 teaspoon Pepper

·         dash of Salt

·          2 tablespoons Tamarind Paste (I did not have this. But supposedly it is really worth adding! I have it on my next Amazon order list.)

1) Mix thoroughly 

2) Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes with the lid off to thicken it a bit.

3) Taste and adjust. It may taste a bit vinegary at first, but that is less obvious when you use it. You can store it into clean bottles in the refrigerator for a month or two.

This recipe made two bottles of sauce.

Enjoy!
I would love to hear any suggestions how you make BBQ Sauce. How did you tweak the recipe?

Shared at: Cheerios & Lattes, Mop it up, Make it Pretty, Shine on Friday,

New Years Resolution to Vacation

A couple years ago, my husband and I realized that the vacations we want to go on NEVER happened because we didn't plan for them. This would not do! I know that memories are made every day, but have you ever noticed that the memories you cherish the most are the special times you did something unique? Especially for kids. So we made a resolution to plan our year for each New Year. This has worked out really well since we started three years ago.

It is really very simple. On New Year’s Day we investigate costs associated for the trips we want to take that year and then we put it on our calendar. By knowing when and how much things costs, we are able to come up with a budget and a savings plan so we have the funds to go. It is also helpful to know your plans so that you can keep a lookout for any deals.

Our first year, we were able to save for a one week Anniversary cruise for my husband and I to Mexico. This was our first time away from them so just juggling where they would be was an experience. We also made a three day trip to Disneyland around my daughter's birthday and a couple camping trips with the kids. 

Last year, we went camping a couple times. We went to Tahoe to ski for a week and a day at Disneyland. We also planned for a trip to Colorado and Arizona, but the trip to Colorado for Thanksgiving was canceled since Colorado family members there were all sick with the flu. We did make it to AZ to visit my husband's family and see his grandmother for her 95th birthday.

 This year, we are really excited to make it to Colorado this summer. My husband and I went to Tahoe without the kids for 3 days for business and fun time together. We are also planning a train ride to San Diego to take the kids to see the sites and visit Sea World. We were also considering a trip to Hawaii without the kids, but have decided that we need to hit our business goals. (Besides, we hit our goals and the company will send my whole family for free next year.)

Next year we would like to go to Australia!

How about you? Do you make the resolution to vacation?

Shared at: Mop it Up, and Cheerios & Lattes

Game Bag for the little gameiac

Happy 2013! I have so many posts stored up in my head that I have been itching to write. But at the same time I am coming off of the holiday high, as it were, enjoying my quiet-kids-asleep-time doing things like sitting on my rear reading a good book or fanfiction, cleaning or playing with my new camera. My sister recently recruited me for a writing project and since I've been writing and editing... I decided that it is long past time to start writing those posts I've told you about.

So for the first post of the New Year, I wanted to share the game bag with you that I made for my little man.

My 5 year old has been into every game he can get his hands on! Really! I don't know any other 5 year old who can win at Solitaire. Go Fish. Crazy 8s. War. All the age-appropriate board games out there and recently started mastering checkers.

Knowing that, when I saw the game bag at I Can Teach My Child, I knew I had to make one too! I  did modify it from the original idea though, of course. I chose to make a checker board on one side and a tic-tac-toe on the other side. I was also thinking that in a year or so when he is interested in tackling chess, I can add some pieces from an old game in the bag too. Here is what I did:

I bought at pillow case from the Goodwill store for $1.99. And then I decided that the best way to make my game boards was from ribbon, so I had to buy that too. Then I got to gluing, which made sewing the pieces much easier.

The Checker board was a little complicated. I was hoping that I could weave the ribbon in and out of the fabric, but it proved to be not as simple. I settled for weaving every even row and gluing squares for the odd rows. Before I started slicing with my Xacto knife I put my quilting cutting board in the pillow case and used the ruler shown to measure out each row.

The tic-tac-toe side was a quickie. I cut the ribbon, placed it where I wanted and glued.

Once each of these boards were completed and the glue dry, I was able to easily sew the ribbons on. I also cut the top of the pillow case off (it was a king size) so it wouldn't be so large and I have extra material for another project! I bought a yard of cord for $1 and sewed a seam and button hole for a closure.

On to the pieces! For the tic-tac-toe X and O I decided to use some foam pages that I had in my art supply. I printed out the X and O as a template and used a cutting board to slice them up. It took me about an hour to get this done... but in all fairness I was watching tv at the same time so it would have been a lot quicker if I had ruled out multitasking.

For the checker board pieces. I bought wood circles at the craft store and used a sample of red paint (that I already had) and black spray paint (that I also already had).

As you can see, I made good use of my Black Friday ads by painting on them.

When the paint was dry. I used a metalic sharpe that I had on had to draw crowns on the pieces. Just like the real thing!

So the end result was a game bag with pieces!

 Hope you enjoyed reading! Have you made anything recently that sprung from a good idea?

Shared at: Shine on Friday, Show and Tell, I should be mopping the floor,