Valentines for School

Valentine's Day 2011 is in the books.

AuBrynne was more than happy to help me make her Valentines to share with her class-mates.

We made Heart Shaped Brownie Covered Oreos.

Fortunately for the family, we made them a few times to "perfect our technique".

I don't know where this recipe originated, but in the recipe I ran into,

it says to: dip your oreos into brownie batter then bake in muffin tins...

This does work perfectly for round muffin tins.

We used the Wilton Non-Stick Mini Hearts Pan

I did have to cut a TINY triangle out of each oreo

Make sure you have the sharpest knife you can find...

Anyways, I used baking release on the pan and got out my small cookie scoop.

I scooped one scoop of brownie batter into each cavity (left pan)

Then added an oreo to each pan and pushed it nearly to the bottom (right pan)

Then one more scoop of brownie batter over each oreo:

Now, because I was doing this slowly and taking pictures...

The oreos floated themselves upwards.

If you do this at normal speed, and get them into the oven, this doesn't happen.

Bake them in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

DO NOT OVER-BAKE. This is easy to do. Yes, I did this.

When you take these out of the oven, be sure to slip a knife or other implement around the edges,

or they won't come out. Yes, I did this too.

Anyways, this is what you will have once you let them cool and figure out how to get these out of the pan:

Actually, the left one is what they look like if you let them float up...

Yes, another "test" batch for the family...

Ok. These are PHENOMENAL on their own, just plain.

But they could be decorated...

and that is just what we did!

We got out the pink candy-melts and dipped the tops.

Then dipped half in red/pink/white sprinkles.

Then we proceeded to make the labels and package them up!

I made the fold over label in Photo-Shop.

And printed them on card-stock.

AuBrynne stamped some extra pizazz onto them...

And her seal of approval :)

Here is the whole lot of them:

I think they are REALLY sweet.

But I am very happy this project is finished.

The smell of Brownies are TOO tempting!

Tomorrow, I will share AuBrynne's Valentine Refashion!

Have you visited my Linky-Party Directory?

I like to link my projects up on all the places there!

If your linky party is not listed because I have not linked there, or maybe don't know about it

Please Feel Free To Add It! :)

Thank You Notes... Finally

I finally got the Thank You notes from December finished!

And then I forgot to post them!

So, here they are!

AuBrynne is REALLY into Jessie from Toy Story...

Because I refuse to pay the insane prices for the Cricut cartridges,
I found this AWESOME site, Cricut Machine!

They have Cricut cartridges at super awesome prices!

They had the Toy Story cartridge for only $20!

The stores near us, had them priced at $99!

I cut out A LOT of Jessie pieces and assembled them all together:

Then I added a cute message on the inside:

AuBrynne likes practicing writing her name on each one!

I think they turned out pretty cute!

Have you visited my Linky-Party Directory?

I like to link my projects up on all the places there!

If your linky party is not listed because I have not linked there, or maybe don't know about it -

Please Feel Free To Add It! :)

Advent Calendar

I decided to make an advent calendar this year.

I made one out of those mini muffin tins -you've seen them all over the place.

I will spare you a tutorial, because they are everywhere.

The one I used was from Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Summer used chipboard and magnets.

I used a magnet adhesive sheet and some fun Holiday paper.

And the numbers I put the Cricut to work with some black vinyl.

I think I may start making a set for all of the holidays, since the magnet sheets make this REALLY versatile!

And we have enough Halloween candy to supply the tins for a year!

I really love how this turned out!

And even little AuBrynne was ticked and said, "Oooh! Crafty, Mom!"

Anyways, here are a few quick snap-shots!

Have you visited my Linky-Party Directory ?

If your linky party is not listed because I have not linked there, or maybe don't know about it.

Please Feel Free To Add It! :)

Boo Babies

You all remember when Laura over at Just For Love

posted her cute Butternut Squash Ghosts?

Well, I just thought they were ADORABLE!

And that week, I picked up a few Butternut Squash on my next grocery trip.

And my family thought I was out of my mind!

Long story short:

Butternut Squash is actually part of the NUT family,

NOT the squash family,

And, YES,  I had a terrifying experience.

But those ghost's were SO cute!

So, I painted up my Butternut Squashes with some white acrylic paint...

Then I layered on some Extreme Glitter Paint in Hologram...

(Have I mentioned that this stuff might be on my Top 10 Crafter's Necessity list??)

Then I cut up some spooky vinyl eyes with my faithful Cricut... 

(I fall more in love with my Cricut every time I use it)

And then the "B-O-O" with the Cricut and

Voila!

B-O-O Babies

Have you visited my Linky-Party Directory ?

If your linky party is not listed because I have not linked there, or maybe don't know about it -

Please Feel Free To Add It! :)

I am also link this up at Entertain Exchange.
They are hosting 5 Giveaway Parties with a Halloween Theme!

Flying Lessons

Have you all figured out that I can fly?

Can't all you Crafty Witch's fly?

No?

Have you tried yet?

Well, if you pop over, I give flying lessons.

And I made this new sign to advertise:

Visit my Linky-Party Directory to see where I am linking this.
And if your linky party is not listed because I have not linked there, please feel free to add it! :)

I am also linking this to Entertain Exchange!
They are hosting 5 Giveaway Linky Parties with a Halloween Theme!

The Car-line

At AuBrynne's school, the teachers retrieve each student from their car-sear in the morning

and buckle them into their seats in the afternoon. 

They can reduce the parking issues and control who the student is released to.

Each parent waits in the "car-line". 

They supplied each of us with a card with the name of our child one it:

Now, I'm sure this is absolutely functional. Right?

Yes.

But is it cute? . . . . Ummm. Nope.

Is it Allie? . . . . Certainly Not!

So, you know what I did. I got the handy Cricut cutter and the vinyl out.

Have I ever told you that I LOVE that thing? Seriously!...

And guess what?

It is functional.  It is cute.  And it is very Allie...

 

T.P. Holder

Hello friends!

Are you all enjoying your summer as much as we are around here?  We are SO glad to have a proper summer season this year.  Last years summer, around these parts, was a real bust.  But we are extremely happy to walk out in the afternoon to hear the buzz of the cicada bugs and have the wet humid heat hit you just enough to send you back to the A/C to get your bathing suit on for some water fun in the sun.

Ahhh... Summer! I LOVE IT!

Yes, I will get on with it...

So, for various reasons, the toilet paper in our bathroom lived in this, now broken, glass vase.  Those of you who have children, know this just isn't practical -and I can hear you chuckling...

Well, after cleaning up this little accident and a small child with half a bottle of soft-soap smeared all over herself and the bathroom -its amazing this can be done by a 3 year old in about 13 seconds....

Anyway, I decided, we needed a less lethal place for the toilet paper.

I found this bin and decided it would be the right size for holding toilet paper and extra hand-towels.

It just needed a little something extra.

I didn't have my sewing machine, but that has never stopped me. 

I had my iron and my lovely Cricut. Have I told you how much I love my Cricut? Well, I do.

I ironed some heat-n-bond onto some coordinating fabrics and ran it through the Cricut.

And Voila!

Now, back to playing in the out-doors!