Indoor Summer T-Shirt Project - Great for a Child's Party

After a morning outside in the Summer heat I thought it would be a good idea to have an indoor project  ready for the girls.  Pentel Arts - Fabric Fun Dye Sticks and white T-Shirts were the answer.
This would be a great party activity and becomes the party favor for attendees.  (I just remembered the first time I did this for a party was at Bella's Momma's Baby Shower 4 years ago!)

Fabric Dye Sticks - T-Shirt project - ©2012 Cindy Rippe

It's best to pre-wash the shirts or use an older shirt with stains that you want to cover up.  Prep the shirts by ironing a large sheet of freezer paper inside which will stabilize the fabric and create a smooth surface for drawing.  Then just let the kids draw whatever they want with the Fabric Fun.

I used the Gel Roller Pen for Fabric to write names and add a few simple details (or in Bella's case, helped her write her own name).

These Dye Sticks can be washed out of fabric before they are heat set, if there is a mistake (or they end up somewhere they don't belong), which makes them perfect for kids.  The Gel Roller Pens are permanent immediately so are NOT so good for kids to use on their own but are great with adult supervision.

After the artwork is completed, set the dyes by ironing for a few minutes while the kids eat dessert. (Use a pressing cloth or paper to cover the drawings and protect the iron , use a hot setting - cotton). When the shirts are cool the kids love to peel the paper off and will probably put the shirts on right away!

©Bella's Happy Colors - 2012

A happy heart makes a face cheerful.  Proverbs 15:13

Mother's Day Centerpiece - Designer Crafts Blog Connection Blog Hop

I don't drink coffee myself and don't have a set like this but wouldn't a vintage coffee set make a great centerpiece for Mother's Day?  This one was part of a display at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show recently.

The theme for posting crafts this month at the Designer Crafts Connection group is "Fun and Easy Mother's Day gifts".  Most of the designers are focusing on jewelry. Since that's not something I craft I decided to share this simple floral arrangement. A tray, lined with a vintage doily and acrylic gems, creates the perfect base to showcase a few perfect roses for your perfect Mom!

As for the jewelry part, here's a jewel of a quote.  


Who can find a virtuous woman? She is far more precious than jewels...
Strength and honor are her clothing, and she can laugh at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the activities of her household and is never idle.
Her sons rise up and call her blessed.
He husband also praises her:
Many women are capable, but you surpass them all!
Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.   ~ Proverbs 31:10, 25-30

Be sure to click through all the Creative Blogs this week at:

Designer Craft Connection
[ hop back ] [ hop forward ]

and:

November's Flower of the Month and Mom

Chrysanthemum photo - Flowers Magazine

This photo of November's Flower of the Month seems appropriate for me.  The single orange flower surrounded by the neutral white really represents my life this past month.  Mom had a mild stroke.  It was small, Thank God, and she's recovered from the physical effects but her Dementia took the turn for that next step.  The one where she seems OK to everyone else at first, but she needs someone with her all the time now.

It's been rough.  Lots of changes and I've felt like I was alone many times during her stroke recovery and transition to this new life.  The truth is, however, that my faith, family, (especially my husband) friends, and her medical team have been the white flowers.  The single flowers grouped tightly together that have held me up.

Also, during this time my sister fell seriously ill. We try to work as a team to care for Mom but she needs to care for herself.  I'm sure she felt like the orange flower too.  Alone but with a quiet team of support to hold her up.

Last, but certainly not the least is Mom.  I'm sure that she's happy most of the time.  We see to that. But I'm also sure that she feels alone when she truly believes the stories she's telling, when she is positive that she already took her meds (or ate, or bathed, or talked to someone on the phone).  Her self esteem hits a low point many days.  She gets angry and it's hard to remain patient with her.  But much of the time she's like the Chrysanthemum.  Cheerful and loving.  We'll hold on to that as long as we can!  Love You Much Mom!

“‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you."  Deuteronomy 5:16 ESV

Time to pick Apples!

Each year about this time we try to make a trip to Tree-Mendus Fruit Orchards in Southwest Michigan to pick fresh Apples.  We ride the hay wagon out to the orchard, fill the buckets with Golden Delicious, Gala and Red Delicious apples and eat a few right off the tree.  We have to buy the Honey Crisp apples in the farmstand.  They aren't available as a "U Pick" variety.  A stop or two along the way and lunch at Redemak's in New Buffalo make a perfect day for us.

Source: Cindy Rippe - Seasonal Treats - Apples on Pinterest

 

 

I've been wanting to make Pie Pops since seeing them for the first time at http://luxirare.com. There are great tips and recipes on the Pillsbury and Bakerella web sites if you want bake them too.  I don't know if I'll go as far as making my own Apple Pie filling like Cindy at Skip to My Lou but it does look delicious! 

Now if the weather would just cooperate we could actually plan the trip.  Wish me luck!

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking 
if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity.   
                                                                                                                              ~ Voltaire

Easter Egg Tree - Recycle last year's plastic eggs

Here's a fun project that uses the plastic eggs left over after Easter.  The candy's gone, you're tired of picking them up off of the floor and you know you'll want new, shiny and clean ones next year.  Gather up all the pieces and make ornaments for an outdoor Easter Egg Tree!

Larry and Elena's Easter Egg Tree - Cindy Rippe Art in Entertaining

I took this picture of my Brother and Sister In-Law's tree yesterday when we took Isabella by for a visit to "my Uncle Larry".  We always enjoy their Holiday Decorations and beautiful yard.

To make the Easter Egg ornaments for your own tree. You need a needle nosed pliers, wire that's thick enough to stay straight, yet easy to bend by hand and a thick needle or old ice pick and some glue.

Separate the eggs. 
1 - Heat the point of the needle (that you are holding with the pliers) over an open flame for a few seconds and press through the top of the egg to create a hole large enough for the wire to go through.
   - After you test the size, finish making all the holes.
   - Note: If you have a high speed Dremel drill that would work too.

2 - Cut the wire to 12" lengths. (or whatever length you'd like for your type of tree or bushes)

3 - Thread one end of the wire through the hole far enough to easily work on the tip.
   - Use the pliers to twist the end of the wire into a loop large enough to prevent it from slipping back out.     

4 - Bend the other end of the wire into a 2 inch loop and twist it to secure.  (see photo below)

5 - Add a touch of Aleene's Original Tacky Glue to the edge of the egg and snap the bottom piece in to place.  You can mix egg colors or match them as seen in the above photo.

Adjust wire loop as desired to fit tree branch - note that wire comes straight out of the top hole in egg.

The heavier gauge wire helps to prevent the eggs from flipping around and getting caught up in the branches during Spring weather.  The large loops make them easier to hang while you decorate and remove after Easter.

Save the ornaments and keep adding more each year and don't worry if some get separated or broken.  You'll have plenty of spare parts next year for repairs!  This could end up being a family tradition and the kids might not leave them lying around after the candy's gone.  (We'll...we can always hope, right?)

Romantic Homes Show and Tell Friday

I'm also linking to Craft Test Dummies Go Green Link Party,  Today's Cretaive Blog and Creative Bloggers' Party and Hop this week.  Check out all the fun projects!

CRAFT TEST DUMMIES - GO GREEN PARTY

TODAY'S CREATIVE BLOG - GET YOUR CRAFT ON

Beauty After the Storm

We stayed in for the next few days after the Blizzard.  It was really cold and for a change we didn't have to go anywhere.  On Saturday I looked out my window and saw this.

The squirrels had finally ventured out to play in the snow!  You can see where they hopped down from the tree started out and circled back. Fun!  I looked up to find them and noticed something better.

The sky was blue and the sun was shining for the first time in 5 days!  I called out "Lee!  Let's get out of here!"  I didn't have a plan. I just wanted to enjoy some of that sunshine too. After driving around town to survey the storm damage we headed for one of our favorite nature preserves, Lake Katherine.

This end of the lake is kept from freezing and flows to a creek and waterfall.  The ducks and geese were enjoying the sunshine too!

This is the creek with fast running water.  The waterfall is behind the trees but we didn't dress for hiking through the snow.

So pretty.  It was going on a little vacation!

Snowflakes and A Day at Home

Well we made it through the Blizzard of 2011.  

View from my front window.  I love this tree and I'm glad it weathered the storm.

Even though we lost power for 15 hours we were lucky that most of that time was while we slept.  Cozy and warm under a collection of quilts and an excuse to sleep late! That part was nice.  A rare mid-week day off with Lee was nice too! 

The wind was so strong it blew the drifts away from this side of the cars.

Shoveling and cleaning off the cars wasn't fun but that worked out OK too with some help from our neighbor, Adolph, and eventually a sympathetic pick up truck driver with a plow. (After the city plow reburied our parking spaces).

Our Garden Shed and Rose Arbor.  Lots of flowers waiting under that snow!

So grateful that we had no major damage and had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Winter.  I am totally ready for it to be gone though!  Come on Spring!  There are perennials waiting to grow!

New Year's Day with my Family

I can't think of a better way to start a new year than to spend time with my immediate family.  We're all so busy that it's hard to schedule a day for just the 7 of us to get together.  This year we watched Isabella overnight on New Year's Eve.  Lee and I made a Lasagna dinner for the kids next day. (I forgot how hard it is to work on a large project with a helpful 2 1/2 year old! - Isabella had fun eating and adding cheese to the pan)  We actually made three pans of Lasagna so we'd have extra to freeze and share.  Yum!

 

You can find the recipe here.  While this takes some time to make, you can prepare it a day ahead and refrigerate before baking. Add a little extra baking time since it will be cold when you put it in the oven.

I served it with a simple salad and french bread.  We had a few Christmas cookies for dessert and spent the evening just laughing and talking about our plans for the upcoming year.  Wonderful! 

Merry Christmas

We Believe

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.  Ours was a little different, but still good.  Christmas with a two year old Granddaughter and time spent with family made it perfect. We missed having Jon and Tawn with us this year - they were in South Dakota with her family - but we're happy for them that they had a good time.  We ended up eating Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner on Christmas Eve but that's what Mom wanted this year. Mom in Law hasn't been feeling too good lately but she was able to enjoy Christmas Day with us.  Jason and Sarah were involved in an accident on Christmas Eve but everything is working out okay. 

 

Luke 2:1-20

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

With Love,

Cindy

Chicken Fajita Love

I made Chicken Fajitas for lunch today.  Lee decided to make himself a salad/taco dip.  Before he ate it he said "Maybe this would be a good picture for your blog!"   Yep!  You are correct sweetie!

BTW, Lee is our expert on cutting up veggies, making the cheese and cracker plates and foods like that for parties and pot luck meals.  The fact that he thought of me using his plate for my blog - well that's just LOVE!

Remember, you should have a good time!

The dinnerware matches, the food tastes delicious.  But remember to relax and enjoy the party you worked so hard to prepare.  You want your guests to feel welcome and enjoy themselves!  If you are stressed out about perfection it will make them feel uncomfortable.

They'll remember the way you made them feel and the love and laughter that sparkled around the room like fairy dust.

"While we may not be able to control all that happens to us, we can control what happens inside us."

Benjamin Franklin

Surprise 30th Birthday Picnic

We arranged a 30th birthday party for Jason. The theme was beer/root beer. It was a perfect evening! We set up tents, blue and white checked tablecloths and entertained 42 people! Yes, Jason was actually surprised!

Here are a few of the projects we did for decorating. These would be really easy for you to replicate.

The Invite

Clip art enlarged to fit the 5 X 7" card. Cardstock was layered and attached with Zip Dry Glue. Tied the tag on with raffia. Party information was printed on the back side of the card.

Centerpieces for the picnic tables.

Food color in water. Carnation stems were dipped in wax so they didn't draw up the water and turn orange. We rolled down the top of brown paper lunch bags and tied them with raffia for pretzels and peanuts on the tables.

Party Favors

Sarah ordered custom printed labels on-line for the bottles of root beer and regular beer. She found beer themed stickers and stamped Thank You on the back of each tag for the pretzels. Tied with raffia again. The party favors were a hit with all the guests!

This amazing cake was all Sarah. I was busy with the CHA Tablescapes and tradeshow. She made a delicious cake - 4 layers. There is a cardboard cake circle between the 2nd and 3rd layer for stability. Barrel staves are made from fondant, wood grained with food coloring and attached with buttercream icing to the sides of the cake. Rock candy for ice cubes. This cake was as tasty as it was unique. Another highlight of the party. We pulled the fondant off before cutting the cake as most people in our family don't like the taste.

Great job with the party Sarah! And a special Thank You to Uncle Larry and Aunt Elena!

The Soap Opera Brunch and New product "Finds"

I took my Mom to a "Soap Opera" brunch yesterday. She's watched these shows for many years so I thought she'd like to meet some of the stars. Here she is with "Josh" and "Kendell" (I think) from All My Children. They were very nice and signed autographs. I wasn't impressed with the buffet setup or I would have taken pictures of that too.

Kelly and I will be visiting our friends Kathye and Steve in Michigan for the next couple of days so I'm sure I'll have entertaining tidbits to share with you after that. Kathye sets an elegant table and they are both outstanding hosts. While we're together, Kelly and I will be designing and shopping for a "Garden Tea Party" display at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show to be held this summer.

Today's Finds for Art in Entertaining

Here are few new "must have" items for parties and entertaining. The first one is called H2O . The 3 piece set would work with lots of entertaining styles. Can you tell I've been reading the new catalogs?

The second is actually a line of beaded serving utensils that I found at the International Housewares Show. The company, "Mum's Creations" has a fun line of accessories that would dress up even the most simple party decor.

My favorites are the "Party Spoons" with bent handles that balance on the edge of the bowl and the "Olive Pick Collection". The picks would be perfect for appetizers too.

These will be available soon on my Art in Entertaining website. Check back later for updates.

Snackville Junction

We took Alexander and Cooper to Snackville Junction for lunch yesterday. This is a diner-style restaurant with a model train that brings the food to you.

It was a delight for the boys just as it was for my sons when they were young. Their grandparents, Nani and Pops took all the kids there for lunch. Of course, Jason and Jon loved trains just as Xander does, so that made it really special for them.

This is a really great idea for a children's party. You could set up a short buffet table with a track and train with baskets as part of the decor. You wouldn't even have to make it run. A separate train for them to actually play with would work.

I'm off to buy table linens to paint on.

Don't forget to tell someone that they are special today!