Decorative Dividers

I am working on a recipe binder to organize all the crazy papers I have all over the house.  I have printed tons of ideas.  I decided I wanted some fun dividers.

  I bought these colorful ones, but it wasn't quite happy with that.  I wanted more than this so I pulled out my handy dandy scrapbook paper and a little mod podge, and this is what I came up with. 
 

I am much happier with these.  Lots of fun.  If I had any pink in this house of blue, I think it would be fun to do with school binders too, but alas I only have boys.  LOL  I think they wouldn't appreciate the extra zebra print in their lives quite like I do.  Anyway super simple and fun if you want to send your darlin' back to school with pizazz.

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Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes

We have been having Vacation Bible School this week at our church. It has been lots of fun. We are teaching the kids about the book of Daniel. I was asked to make cupcakes on the night we studied the lion's den, and knew just what I wanted to do.


When I was a kid my Mom always made ice cream cone cupcakes for school events. They are great because they make much less mess for the kids. So I got some cake cones and a cake mix and I was ready to go.

First you make your cake mix as directed.  Then you begin filling the cones with batter.  I filled them just to the top ridge of the cones.

As you fill them you simply stand them in a pan.  Be careful they turn over easily.  Then you bake them.  It takes about 15 minutes longer than regular cupcakes.  The toothpick test works well with this.

They bake up well.  I had several people ask me if the cones burn or have trouble, but just so you have no doubts here is one standing alone. 

Don't they look cute?  I haven't even frosted them yet.  Well, tonight was the lions den story so my  kids and I decorated the cupcakes like lions.  I let them come up with the design and I think they did a great job.  What do you think?

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Christmas in July- Advent Calendar

I love Christmas more than should be allowed by law.  It is my favorite time of year.  I always try to push the envelope and put the tree up a little earlier and earlier.  I usually start working on Christmas about this time of year because that's the only way I will finish half of what I would love to accomplish.  Last year I was out doing some back to school shopping at Staples when I found 15 of these little babies.

Even better they were on clearance for 50 CENTS each.  I immediately thought they would make an amazing advent calendar.  However as I mentioned there were only 15.   I left for the next nearest Staples immediately.  After the 30 minute drive I was very disappointed to find there were NONE there.  BOO!  Oh well I figured I could find some on the Internet, and headed home.   I had one small problem I have to this day no idea what these are called.  Do you?  Feel free to enlighten me if you can.  So then I had to figure out another option.  Nothing a little trip to the Hobby Lobby couldn't fix. So off I went to the Lobby and found these little gems.

They are just your basic paper mache boxes, but they are roughly the same size and worked perfectly.  I was ready to get started.  I knew what I wanted, but I wasn't too sure how to accomplish it. 

First I decorated the boxes. 

The metal boxes were easy.

I simply cut strips of

scrapbook paper

 to cover the sides... 

Then I cut a matching circle for the top.

 I found several different shapes in the paper mache boxes.  Then I painted them, and even wrapped a few like gifts.  You can do so many different things with them.  It's really just whatever you like. 

Then I added some magnets to the back. 

Of course I needed some Zebra stripes.  ;)

Last but not least I had to have some kind of metal board to hang them on.  I knew just the man to call.  You guessed it, DEAR OLD DAD.  I described what I wanted and he whipped up a framed sheet of galvanized sheet metal.  It was perfect.  I painted the frame white, and added candy stripes with red vinyl.

 Add all the boxes and VIOLA!

 

 I love this Advent Calendar!

The best part is all the options.  Last year we added all sorts of goodies for the boys to enjoy.  We had candy, movie tickets, a card good for pictures with Santa, and dinner at each of the boys favorite places. 

What would you put in there?

 

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Whoo are you

One of my favorite blogs has a get to know you set of questions called... Whoo are you?  I always think this is a neat idea and today I actually caught it before it was a week or more old, so here you go...

Here are this week's questions!

1. Are you enjoying the summertime?

I love summertime more than should be allowed by law!  I am a stay at home mom who is married to a teacher, so summer is my favorite.  I get to have lots of free time with the whole family. 

2. What activities have you done in the last week?

We have been out of town, swimming, out to our local drive in (one of my favorite summer things!), and gotten in lots of reading and relaxing. 

3. What types of food do you tend to eat more of in the summer?

We eat lots of grilled foods.  We love to bar b cue in the summer.   If you can throw it on the grill we will eat it.  We also make homemade ice cream about 10 times during the summer.  mmmm I may need to make some ice cream tonight.  :)

4. How much time are you spending outside?

We haven't done much of that this year.  It's been over 100 most of the summer so unless we are swimming we are inside.  We have done tons of bowling to make up for it though. 

5. Is there any fun projects you are working on inside or outside your house?
We are always working on something I think.  Right now we are redoing the bathroom.  I am very excited because when that's finished I get to move on to the kitchen. 

So Whoo are you?  Feel free to give your answers too.  You can even link up at:

An experiment in room decor

When the boys wanted to redo their room. I asked them what style they wanted.  I never would have guessed they would answer Science.  Science?!?!?  Seriously?  What kid wants a Science room?....   I spent tons and tons of time trying to figure out exactly which direction to go. 

 I suggested outer space and was informed that wasn't all there is to science.  Then I suggested dinosaurs and they said NO not just dinosaurs either.  Soooooo we came up with a

combination of all of the above.  I found lots of awesome posters that would be fun.  This was one of my favorites.  It was perfect for their door.  :)  

 So welcome to the ...

SCIENCE ROOM.

We have your basic bunk beds, but my Mother in law made the boys some amazing quilts for each of the boys.  Complete with their names. 

 I even got to swipe a picture off of her blog to show them.  LOL  Hope you don't mind.  They are perfect for our Science theme.  If you want to check out her blog you can check it out here. http://quiltdivasews.blogspot.com/

While visiting the insectorium in New Orleans We found these adorable name pages and they worked out just great.

Naturally Albert Einstein NEEDED to have a place in our science room so here it is...     I picked my favorite Einstein quote and broke out my Cricut and vinyl... and now you have it.

  Well, maybe not my most favorite Einstein quote.  That would have to be... 

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.  

 I didn't think that was quite what I was going for in their room though.  LOL 

I have been working on having a verse in every room of the house and I couldn't think of anything better than Genesis 1:1.  I thought it would be a great reminder to the boys that no matter what God is still the creator and designer of our universe. 

I know I previously posted about the light fixture, but I just love it.  So one more... ok three more pictures of how that all come out.  Did I mention I just love the way this light fixture worked out?  

The boys each have matching bookshelves to store all their books, and junk.  I used their buggy names to label each.  They love having their own space, and this defiantly gives them each a place for their stuff.

I love posters.com.  I found all of these posters and lots more.  If only we had more wall space.  I of course had to add some vinyl just because I could.  Haha.   I thought that Stand back, I'm going to try Science was the perfect finishing touch.  Thanks for hanging in there with me for all the details of this room.  The boys love it and that is totally what I was hoping for.  So I guess we chalk this up to a success.  :)

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